The Legend of Aude and Eirikr
by RienMuse
Summary: Sookie found Eric mourning for a woman named Aude. Bit by bit, he told her about his life as a human. A life of a young viking, who tried to find his place in the new village and in the life of a woman whom he loved. Harris owns the characters. To Linnea.
1. Chapter 1

My story is based on Southern Vampire Mystery. This is about Eric's life when he was still a viking. As always, all the known characters are belonged to Charlaine Harris. This is my homage to her.

**Chapter One**

Dum. Dum. Dum. It was silent for a moment, and then again. Dum. Dum. Dum. Then silent again. Dum. Dum. Dum.

Sookie sighed. It had been almost an hour that Eric hit the drum. What was he doing? He didn't play a music, or sing, he just hit the dream in that rhythm. And to be honest, it started to get annoying.

Sookie closed the book and threw it on the table. She had been trying to read the latest edition of "Julie and Dr. Samuel Patrick" romance series. She had been waiting for her order since two months ago, which in her opinion, it's definitely too long. What the heck did they do in that delivery service. Did they not promise "fast and reliable" in their advertising. Two months for a book, it was certainly unacceptable! Sookie made a mental note to send a protest letter to the company.

Now, that she finally had the book, read it with big appetite, like a person who had not eaten for days, Eric had to hit that drum like crazy! Aargh, she could kill that man, not that it would be successful, since Eric was not exactly a man. But it surely would give her satisfaction just to stop him from hitting the drum, even for a minute! Didn't he know, it's very intense in the House of Patrick family, after Mrs. Andrea Patrick, with the help of her loyal servant, James White, managed to falsify Julie 's birth certificate, and made it as if Julie was the step-sister of Samuel? The new series would tell how Samuel fought his desires toward Julie and how confused Julie about Samuel who suddenly became so distant.

Of course Eric didn't know. How? He never wanted to even touch the books. He gave her a smirk every time he saw her holding the book.

Slowly Sookie got up. She had to talk to that man, and told him to stop playing that drum. She accepted that he didn't like the book, but it didn't mean that he's allowed to bother her like that!

Dum. Dum. Dum.

The sound of the drum was getting louder as Sookie got near to Eric's room.

Dum. Dum. Dum.

Sookie ripped off the door. "Eric...." Sookie's words were gone before they were spoken, when she saw him.

Eric was standing in front of the window. Sookie could only see his back, but it's enough to stop her feeling of getting annoyed. He wore a long red tunic, and a leather trousers. On his shoulder hang a rob, which on its border was decorated with small beads. His long blond hair was plaited and there's a helmet with two horns on its top.

_What is this?_ Thought Sookie. _It's not yet Halloween, and he plays costume?!_

Eric turned around.

Sookie's jaws were wide opened. There was blood running on Eric's cheeks. He had been crying. "Eric, are you alright?" she asked, after she could managed herself.

Eric was a vampire, not just an ordinary vampire, he was The Sheriff of Area 5. It was somehow strange for her to see him like this. Because Eric was the strongest and the oldest vampire in Shreveport area. Eric always looked so confident, and for some people he looked cocky and arrogant. And he never showed any fear or sadness, as if he knew what he wanted and how to get what he wanted. People sometimes said, it was because Eric had been living for one thousand years, gave and take. For somebody who had been living that long it must have been easy for them to trick, manipulate or lie. Because they must have known a lot of people during their lives that it would have been easy for them to recognize personality of each person they met.

But it's not only that. Sure, Eric had learned and mastered to make anybody to do what he wanted, and somehow always managed to get away with what he had done. But for Sookie, Eric was not only that, he was also a kind of person, who didn't like to show his feeling to anybody. His smiles, smirks or the twinkling of his eyes hid his real feelings or thoughts, at least that's what she believed. And some other time, Sookie also believed may be it's because Eric was a tall, very handsome man with a smile that would melt anybody's heart. When his blue eyes looked at her eyes -usually in a very seductive way- combine with a taint of smile on the corner of his lips...her libido would jump without warning....Sookie sighed, _Focus!_ she told herself. _It's so inappropriate to think about that right now._

But still crying and Eric were two words that didn't belong to each other.

Eric put the sticks on the drums. "No, I am not." he said softly, a mere whisper that Sookie almost could not hear. "It's the second day of the full moon in October, isn't it?"

Sookie was perplexed. She didn't expect to hear a question like that. "I don't know. Perhaps."

"It was the first time I saw her." he said. His blue eyes were looking at her, but they didn't exactly into her. As if Eric wanted to use her face to picture somebody else. There was somekind a mist that covered the brightness of those eyes, as if by looking at her, he had been taken to somewhere else, on some other time.

_Her? Who is 'her'? _Sookie thought. But she didn't ask. She had learned, with Eric, it was better to wait and let him open the door to his secret. Asking and pushing him to tell a story would only lead to silence. And she knew, silence was a scary sound. She would not hear anything from Eric, would not even see him for some nights, before he would come to her with his smirks and smiles, and a sealed mouth.

"And also the last time I saw her..." his voice trembled, and blood started running on his cheek. And he started talking in a language that Sookie didn't understand. It sounded like he spoke it from his nose, but very soft at the end of every word. It had a very sweet melody in it, but the way Eric spoke it, it sounded so sad.

Sookie came to Eric, and took him by the end. "Sssst, Eric, Eric." she said. "I don't understand what you are saying..."

"O-duh, O-duh...she left me..she...she..."his shoulders were shaken. "She..."

Sookie took him in her arms, and pressed him tight against her body. She didn't know if it would help, but she also didn't know what else to do.

Eric hugged her tight, so tight that Sookie almost could not breathe. But she didn't push him away.

For some times, they were in that position, until Sookie shivered. Slowly, she released him. Her blouse was wet with cold blood, and sticky. She didn't like that feeling so much, it reminded her to the time when she was covered with Longshadow's blood. About a year ago, Longshadow, a vampire who worked for Eric in Fangtasia was staked by Eric when he tried to attack her. Just like a balloon which was stitched with a needle, Longshadow poured blood all over. And Sookie was closed enough to him to be watered with it. Since then, she didn't like to see or to touch blood. Human, or vampire.

"I am sorry, " Eric said. He ran his finger on her blouse, as if he could wipe off the blood with his fingers. "I am sorry..."

"Come, let's sit." Sookie said. She took his hand and led him to the couch. Strange, just like a lost puppy, Eric followed Sookie. And without protesting he sat beside her.

Sookie sighed. This was another side of Eric that she never saw before. This was not Eric, the Sheriff of Area 5, the vampire whom every vampire was afraid of, even The Queen of New Orleans would think twice to raise her voice in front of him. Sookie remembered how the vampires at The Ball in the palace of The Queen stopped whatever they did, when Eric and she entered the hall. They dared to move only after The Queen greeted him, and Eric nodded and smiled. The room which was quiet so suddenly, slowly returned to alive.

But now, he looked like a little boy who lost somebody whom he loved very much and didn't know what to do anymore.

Was that it? Did Eric cry for the the one he loved very much? More than her? Who was she? Why did Sookie not know anything about her? Was she somebody whom she knew?

_Stupid. _Sookie thought. _Why should I be jealous? There is no real commitment between Eric and I. He is free to do whatever he wants, and to have anybody he wants, the way I am free to do and to have whatever and whomever I want. And I will be very stupid to expect Eric not to have somebody else before me. _

Was it that simple? Even when they agreed to do and to have whatever and whomever they wanted, they spent seven days a week together, made love to each other almost every night and sometimes more than once, and thought about each other, or at least in Sookie's part, she always thought what Eric might have or have not liked. And since they were together, Sookie saw bottles of True Blood in his big fridge, which he bought since she moved in, and besides that, Sookie believed he fed only from her.

Now, Eric was laying his down on her lap and holding her legs. His blond hair was spreading like leaves of yellow flower in the meadows. It smelled of lavender and calendula. He must have washed his hair today, because the smell was so strong.

"Who is O-duh?" finally Sookie asked. She could not wait anymore. She knew it was stupid to ask, but somebody had to start talking, otherwise they would continue doing it. Eric cried, and she watched, without being able to do anything. She hated when she could not do anything.

Eric looked at her. His eyebrows met in the middle. "O-duh?"

"You said her name some minutes ago."

For some moment Eric stared at her, and then he answered. "You mean Aude. A-u-d-e"

"Yes, Aude." Sookie felt stupid. _What is that for a name anyway?!_

"It's Gallic, you know it today as French." said Eric, as if he had heard what she had thought. "Aude daugther of Arnvidr, wife of Vídarr and later Eirikr the sons of Magnus."

_Vidarr and Ei...Eric? _Sookie was surprised. _Aude was his wife? I never knew that Eric was married before. When? Before or after he met Pam? _

Eric took a big breath, as if he needed it. But Sookie liked it when he did that. It made him somehow...human.

"Aude was the widow of Vidarr, my brother." Eric said. "And I married her after Vidarr died. It was common at that time to marry the woman of your brothers if they fell in the battle."

"Why? Did you love her?"

"Love didn't play any role at that time. But in my part, yes. I loved her. But in her part, it was her duty to keep her husband property under the name of the husband's family. Unless the family didn't have any other sons, or they decided something else."

"If I was her, I would run away. It's bad enough to lose my husband, and then to marry his brother, whom I don't love? By the way, isn't that incest, to marry your sister-in-law?"

Eric looked at her in disbelief. "Were you only sleeping in your class?" his voice sounded more mocking than angry. "Of course it's not incest! She was my sister-in-law, not my sister! And yes, she didn't love me at the beginning. But as soon as she knew me better, she loved me as much as I loved her. Didn't it happen to you too?"

Sookie smiled. Yes, it happened to her too. Knowing how charming Eric sometimes could be, she would not be surprised if Aude would have fallen for him too.

Eric touched her face. He was smiling now. But the blood on his face made that smile looked somehow sad. "I thought I was going astray when I saw her. She was standing beside the lake Vänern, in her hand was some wild flowers. Her skin was pale, and her dark red hair was glowing under the moon. I thought I was on the island of Asgard and seeing an Asynia, a goddess who dwelt on Asgard...."

And with soft voice, Eric continued his story.

******************


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter II

"I came from a village called Erlingsäng, or Erling's meadow around the Vänern lake in the southern part of Sweden. I am a Svear." said Eric.

"Svear?"

"That's how we were called when I was still a human. It's Swedish now." Eric looked at the window. Again, his eyes were blur, not from blood, but more from a thought or even memory. Sookie wondered when was it...a thousand years ago? A thousand years was such a long time, she didn't even know how or where to begin to imagine how life must have been at that time. Let alone a thousand years, a life in -say 1940s- she already could not imagine. And she learned that at school, which was over 8 years ago. May be Eric was right. She had been only sleeping at the school!

Eric removed his helmet. Sookie took it and put it carefully on the floor.

"Thank you." said Eric.

"From where you got this helmet? I never saw it before."

"There are things in my life that you never saw, my lover." Eric played Sookie's hair. "And I am glad that you didn't see it."

Sookie smiled. Yes, she believed that. "But if I had a chance, I would like to get to know your wife. I never thought that you were a married type kind of vampire. I can not say 'a man', can I?"

Eric shrugged.

Slowly Sookie stroke his hair, which was plaited in the middle and some were left free. "You smell good." she said.

Eric smiled, faintly. "They were her favorite flowers."

"Lavender and Calendula?"

"I didn't know the names back then, until I lived in Paris. One was dark purple and smelled sweet, and the other was bright yellow. A countess I knew told me those names. A very sweet countess. Alas, she didn't live long. She was already very sick when we knew each other. If not, perhaps I would have turned her. She was a worthy companion."

Sookie wondered what Eric meant with 'sweet', if she tasted sweet or if she behaved sweet. He called her also 'sweet' at the first time they met. It seemed like Eric liked to use that word.

"Aude used to put those flowers on Vidarr's grave, and on her hair..." again Eric's voice sounded so far away. "The smell of her hair, her pillow where she laid her head on...." suddenly Sookie heard 'click' noice. Eric's fangs were out.

Sookie sighed. Eric was aroused. Even after a thousand years, the mere memory of hers was still able to arouse him!!

Eric raised his head, and before Sookie knew it, he kissed her. "You're jealous." he said, after he released her.

_Damn this blood bond!_ _Damn! _Thought Sookie. _It is so unfair. If I can not read his mind, then he shall not be able to sense my feelings too. But on the other hand, who wants to know what's inside his head anyway?!_

Eric touched her nose with his nose. And then kissed her lips lightly.

"How did she look like?" Sookie tried to fight her own feelings. If she had to face Eric's memory, then at least, she knew how this woman looked like.

"She was not like you, if that's what you are afraid of." slowly his fangs were sunk in.

"I am not."

Eric smirked.

"What?!"

Eric didn't answer, but kissed her again, and then he laid his head on Sookie's laps. "She was......delicate. Her skin was smooth and white. All about her was so delicate. Her hands were small, her feet were small, even her breasts were small, and tender..." again, his fangs were out. If that woman had been here, Sookie didn't know what she would have done. But she did not want to think about it , she had to be able to focus. Focus, that's the key. She wanted to listen, and to know about this woman.

"Sometimes I was afraid if I could hurt her when we were together. She was as delicate as little flower buds on the early spring. If you are not careful enough, you can easily break her. I asked myself sometimes, how she could take a man like me. Because I knew, I was not always gentle with her. I was merely a man, back then. I was only sixteen."

Sixteen? A sixteen years old Eric, and talked like he was reading one of those antique books that Bill had....hmh, now she was curious how _he _looked like back then!

"I know it happened so long ago, but to me, it was just like yesterday when I saw her for the first time. Funny, how feelings can deceit us and trick us to do things we don't want to, or never think that we will do it.

Her village, which was on the border of Götaland had been always in war with The Gutans or The Goths. But back then, we knew them as Göter. For sometimes, they had peace between them, but most of the time, they were always in war. My brother, Vidarr, married to Aude daughter of Arnvidr, and lived in her village. He had to live there, because Arnvidr didn't have any son who could protect him and his woman..." Eric cleared his throat, when he saw Sookie rolling her eyes, and thought: _Woman! As if he talked about horses or cows!_ "...wife. My brother was a feast for the eyes. He was tall just like me, but strong built. He had dark hair and blue eyes just like my father. People said if they stood beside each other they looked like brothers. People also said, if there was a party in Thrudvangar, they would be invited. Because so beautiful and strong they were. Both of them were proud sons of Erlingsäng. Do you know what his name mean? Forest warrior. Because when he hunted, he always brought the best animal from the forest. Sometimes big fat boar, and many times deers. I think he killed two or three bears with his friends, Björn and Hjälmar. In the battle, he swung his sword like Thor swung his hammer. All his enemies would trembled only by his sight. He could dance very well, and he laughed very loud. So loud, that we thought he could tumble down the house only with his laughter."

A wide smile was drawn on Eric's face. "I think Valhalla would never be the same after they accepted him."

"Valhalla?"

"The place where every viking hero went when he died."

Sookie supposed, it's kind of heaven in viking way. She didn't know that Eric believed in that kind of stuff. But again, there were many things about Eric that she didn't know.

Eric made himself comfortable. Hugging her legs like hugging a pillow, and buried his face in the space between her leg. But he didn't sniff or move. He was....still. How Jessica would say it, this was soooooooo not Eric?

Sookie took a deep breath. Was a man so different from one day to another? Yesterday, he would all business and distant in his office in Fangtasia. Sitting or standing there, without making any sound, only listening and 'answering' every questions with lifting his eyebrows or smirking. Letting Pam making decisions, or sometimes even saying things to Eric that for Sookie's ears too brave. But Pam was Pam. She knew how to twist Eric around her fingers, and got away with it. Supposedly, she learned the tricks from the master.

And today, he was like a lost puppy and all snuggling and cuddling!

"You must have loved your brother very much. " Sookie said. "How was it, to marry his widow?"

"I didn't know what to do first. It was as if Frejya came down and whispered in my ears words what to do when I was in front of her. And after we got married, Frejya left me alone and confused, and let Aude tell me what to do."

"Frejya?"

"The goddes of love."

"Do you really believe in all those kinds of gods, Eric? I mean, I thought they were gone already. And only exist in books."

"We exist." he said. By 'we' he must have meant "vampires". Eric never allowed anybody or any vampires to connect him with other supernaturals. "You, human also believed we only existed in books, until the Great Revelation."

"You're right, I suppose." Sookie said. She knew, Eric would not give her any straight answer. May be someday, but not today. It would be better if she 'retreated'. "And then, what happened between you and Aude? I mean she was your brother's wife. Did she ever compare you with him?"

"She never compared us. I didn't know if I was better or worse than my brother. But she never compared us. And she gave me children......." Eric stopped. "My children....they looked a lot like her."

Sookie looked down on him. Did he miss them? Did he regret it, not to be able to have children anymore?

"I like children." suddenly he smiled.

She didn't know why, that sentence made her hair on the back of her neck standing. The way Eric said it, and the twinkling in his eyes.......it was creepy. As if he wanted to suck them dry or something. Or was this one of Eric's way of distracting her attention so that he didn't have to continue telling her about his past. Or may be it was Eric's way of hiding his real feelings. Either way, he would not get away this time. He had opened the door that lead her to his past, he had to take her there!

"What are you thinking? You don't believe that I like children?"

"I don't know, Eric. Pam doesn't."

"Pam is a child herself. She never wanted to have children when she was a human, I doubt that she will want to have them now."

"She is your child. She must have taken that from her maker."

"You are sweet." he said. "You like Pam. She and you become friends after both you know each other better. I am not a bad maker after all."

Sookie bent down, and kissed his nose. "I don't know about that, but what I know, you are not a bad lover."

Actually, he was an extremely good lover. She remembered there were nights when Eric could awake all the senses in her body. She could feel her each and every senses sharpened and every small touch from Eric would end up on bed, her kissing, riding, sucking him like children sucked water ice in dry hot summer. And when Eric was inside her, Sookie felt like she was driven by an un-invisible power which made her to do nothing else but to ask for more. She swore, if she had not permanent injuries in her, it must have been because of Eric's blood! She just hoped that her co-workers in Merlotte would not notice if she walked a bit strange sometimes (or at least that what she thought, because her tights were so painful that it's a wonder that she could stand and walk around taking orders).

. But Sookie didn't want to say it. Because she didn't have so many lovers that she could say one was better than the other. She only had Bill, and then Eric. Bill was her first love, and also a vampire. She took her as her lover, first because she had loved him, and second, like all vampires, she could not hear what Bill thought. Sookie was one of those persons who were born with gifts. Her gift was to be able to hear what people thought. She had not called it 'gift' at the beginning. It was more like curse to her. Because people said bad things and sometimes evil things in her head, without being afraid that somebody might have heard it. If she had to compare the people around her, Mrs. Andrea Patrick – the evil woman in Julie and Dr. Samuel Patrick novel series – was harmless against them! But when Sookie knew Bill, she realized to be able to hear people's thought was not bad after all. Bill also thought her to accept it as a gift and used it for good things.

And the last thing she wanted to do was to compare between two vampires!

"Sookie?"

Sookie took a deep breath, and tried to be as neutral as she could be. "Yes?"

Eric grinned. "Am I a good lover?"

"Hmh...let me think.........average..."

Eric roared with laughter. "You're blushing."

Sookie touched her cheeks. Was she? And when Eric laughed louder, she realized, again, he tricked her. _Damn! This is not the first time that he does that to me! First, he tricked me to suck the bullets out of his chess (what the heck was I thinking by the way?!) and now this. Am I that easy to be tricked?_

Eric took her hands, and kissed them. Sookie noticed, that the laugh which had just brightened his face for a moment, was gone. He returned to that look again, a longing look. As if with that look, he could have brought Aude back, here. Right in this moment. Now, she wished she could have been able to look right inside his head and pull all the answers she wanted to know.

Sookie didn't know how long they were silent in their own thoughts. But when Eric broke the silence with a sigh, and then looked at her with his blur blue eyes, she knew, she would never feel the same after this evening.

Eric had opened the door to the his past.

**********************


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The day would get colder.

The wind was blowing strongly from the north, making the leaves curled up their edges, and even leaving traces of some white small points on their surfaces. The birds made themselves big, and hid their heads under their feathers, made them looked like a roll of old clads. The sun shone brightly, and the sky was blue, but the air was wet and when it touched the skin, the hair on it stood and small points came up to the surface. It's just like the skin of big birds when their feathers were removed before they were put on the fire.

The Svear people had learned from their fathers, and their fathers from their own fathers, that it was the best time to go to the wood and hunting. Because before the earth was covered by the snow, the animals would go grazing to prepare themselves for long winter sleeping. Deers, bears, boars, and if they were lucky they would see lynx. An animal which looked like a tiger only smaller. Its fur was as soft as the backside of a baby's bottom, and its red brown colour was shining as bright as the light of sun on the water. If they got really lucky, then they would see the white lynx. As white as the snow on the top of the mountain, as bright as the sun in the middle of the day.

A kingly gift for offering to Odin, the _Val-fader, _the one who would receive _Einherjar, _the fallen Svear heroes and take them to Valhalla, a kingly gift for the elders, and certainly it would be more than a kingly gift for a woman!

But even the Svear people knew, the day was not cold enough to go out and hunt for lynx. They had to wait until the first drop of snow fell from the sky. Then, the lynx would went out from their holes for preys.

Eirikr knew that. Gunnarr knew that, even Hallsteinn knew that. But three of them were now crawling on the ground of the forest looking for traces of lynx. Whether it was its drop or its legs mark, it didn't matter. If those marks were around, it meant that the lynx was not far.

"Again, what am I doing here?" asked Gunnarr.

"My father told you to look after me." answered Eirikr.

"Besides that, I meant."

Eirikr looked at Gunnar. He tried to keep his face straight. He knew, Gunnarr didn't like Hallsteinn so much. In Gunnarr's eyes, Hallsteinn moved too slow, ate too much, and snored too loud. If they had to spend the night together, as guardsmen, in the morning, both of them would have change loud curses to each other. Gunnarr would complain that if there had been enemies surrounding their village, they would have known where the guardsmen were, from hundreds of spear length, because Hallsteinn snored too loud! Hallsteinn would complain that Gunnarr slept like a stone, even Odin himself would not be able to wake him up!

And Eirikr wondered if the two of them really did their time to guard the village or looked for another place to sleep.

But he knew, Gunnarr and Hallsteinn were good guardsmen. Sometimes he would go out and watch them for a distance, and either Gunnarr or Hallsteinn would knew that he was there.

"We are hunting for lynx." answered Hallsteinn.

"It is still too early for hunting lynx, Hallsteinn son of Ansgar! You would not need Linnéa the _völva_ to tell you, if you smelt the air! It is still too warm!"

"Ssst, don't mention her name here." said Hallsteinn. "It will bring us unluck."

Linnéa daughter of Moa was a woman who lived alone in a cave outside of the village. She was a _völva – _a seer - , people said. She could tell what would happen to a man, only by looking at his eyes or touching his belonging. They said, she talked to the gods, and the gods answered. She rarely went out from her cave on on the hill, but when she did, people knew, something would happen, good or foul.

Nobody knew from where she came from. Eirikr saw her twice or three times. And in his eyes, she was never growing old. She was the same like the first time he saw her, many winters ago. Long curly black hair, with eyes black as black as the night. He felt like he looked into a deep well and saw nothing. He didn't like her. He didn't know why, he just did.

"Why do you want to have lynx skin?" Gunnarr asked. "Especially now?"

"Soon we will pay respect to Sif. I want to have it as an offering to her."

It was the tenth full moon. Svear people would have a feast after they harvested, which they would do in fourteen days after the full moon. And they would give offer to Sif, who protected and gave life to corn and kept their soil fertile, the wife of Thor, who protected the Svear people in battles.

But Eirikr knew, it was not Hallsteinn's real reason. He wanted to give the fur as a gift to Nenna, the daughter of Hamr, the village smith. His name was actually Hólmgeirr. But since one night, when he drank too much mead, he told stories that he could shift his shape into any animal he wanted just by looking at them. _Except on the full moon. _He said. _If the moon was full, I can not stop or choose to shape._

_What kind of animal are you when the moon is full, _the villagers asked. _We don't want to eat you, so you'd better tell us._

_A Skogkatt. _

Skogkatts were beasts which lived in the forest around them. They looked like a tiger, only smaller. Sometimes they were as big as lynx, but most of the time they were smaller. To have a Skogkatt in the house was always a good thing. The women loved it, and the beast was good for catching mouses.

Since then, the villagers decided to change his name into Hamr, _a man who believed he could shift his shape._

"It is a good thing to give lynx skin to Sif." Gunnarr said. Eirikr lifted his eyebrow. It's not every day that Gunnarr agreed with Hallsteinn. There must have been something behind it.

"I know, even you would agree!" Hallsteinn smiled widely. "Hah!"

"Because She has to work twice as hard to fill your cask and your stomach! She needs to be persuaded to continue doing it for you!" Gunnarr smirked.

"You!" Hallsteinn raised his hand and bong! It landed on the back of Gunnarr's head.

Gunnarr wanted to return the blow, but Eirikr managed to catch it. Gunnarr protested. But when their eyes met, he pulled back his hand. The last thing Eirikr wanted was to have two men cursing at each other meanwhile they were lurking for lynx.

Among the three of them, Eirikr was the youngest. He was only 16 winters, but he was the tallest among them. He was as tall as three man's elbows and a child's elbow put beside each other. Gunnarr was 21 winters, and tall as three man's elbows and a hand, meanwhile Hallsteinn, he was 18 winters, and also three man's elbows and a hand, but he was twice bigger as Eirikr.

But Eirikr was the second son of Magnus, the protector of Erlingsäng, under the rule of Sigurdr. He was not only trained how to use weapon since child on, he was also trained how to defend himself. He might have been not as good as Vidarr, his older brother, but he believed he was good enough. And both Gunnarr and Hallsteinn knew his strength. They would think twice to start a fight with him.

Gunnarr son of Alvar, although he was older than him, he was the weakest of the three. Since he was a child, he was plague with disease. Never a month in his life that he had not been sick. If his body was not as hot as fire, then there was something wrong with his legs. One day his legs were cured and he could walk again, then it would his chest. Many other children would avoid him, because they were afraid that they would get sick too, except Hallsteinn. That fat boy would came to his house and played with him. When he was older, Hallsteinn said he liked to play with Gunnarr because he had not have to run fast to catch or to get away from Gunnar.

Hallsteinn, son of Ansgar, the giant of the Erlingsäng. He ate too much, that's what the people said. In the feast, if he was having good laughs, he could eat the whole deer by himself. He was also a strong drinker. He could drink again and again, that make people said, he had a hole in his stomach. He could not run fast, but he was good with his spear. He could aim anything, even a moving deer, but he was always too far behind the animals. In hunting, he was always asked to wait, meanwhile the other chased the animals closer to him.

And this time, he wanted to hunt lynx. And it meant he had to go far to the south closed to the border of the Göter people land. Young Svears like Hallsteinn and himself were not allowed to go far to the south.

"Ask Magnus to allow you to go, Eirikr." he said the other day. "I want to have Nenna as my woman. I think it would soften Hamr's heart if I give his daughter lynx. I know we said bad things to him when we drank too much, but he is a good man. And he has a worthy daughter. Do you not see how she moves her hips when she walks to the river, oh, it is like birds spread their wings and floating on the air carried by the wind! Or when she ties her long brown hair on her head, or when she lets them flow and blown by the wind, like the ripe whey in field ? Or when she laughs, the sound of her laughter will brighten even my darkest days."

No, Eirikr never saw Nenna the way Hallsteinn did. She was a strong woman, and worked very hard for her father. She was very good in skinning the animals, preparing fire, and the dried fishes made by her, hmh, they were always delicious! He believed Nenna would be a good woman for Hallsteinn. He even believed Nenna would be a good woman for any man in Erlingsäng.

But still, entering the forest of the Göter was not easy. And breaking the law of the elders would have severe follows. Either they died in the hand of the Göter, or being punished by the council.

"My father would not allow us, Hallsteinn. None of us passes the 20th winter, and you know the rule. No man may enter the forest of the Göter if he is not yet 20 winters."

Hallsteinn wiped his mouth. He always wiped his mouth when he thought hard or when he was nervous. "Ask Gunnarr to come." he mumbled.

"What?"

"You heard me." he said.

Eirikr held his laugh, but at the end it came out.

"Don't laugh."

"Gunnarr, son of Alvar?"

"Yes, him."

Hallsteinn must have been very desperate that he asked him to ask Gunnarr to accompany him hunting. Hallsteinn and Gunnarr were like oil and water. They fitted only ill to each other.

"I will ask my father." finally Eirikr said.

"Bless you, Eirikr! " Hallsteinn grabbed his hands. "Bless you!"

And now here they were. On the ground of the forest, cold and Eirikr started to get hungry. They were out from the village early after the dawn broke, and now the sun was high as half of the sky, but not a single lynx they saw. Some deers, and even elks, but they decided not to hunt them. They wanted to have a lynx first, and if they still could, perhaps they would hunt other animals.

Hunting a lynx was not easy. The beast was fast, and it could climb trees as high as possible, that arrows or spears could not reach it. An angry lynx was also dangerous. It had teeth that could go deep into the flesh and tore it apart. Its claws were sharper than a sword and if they reached the flesh, it would also go deep into it, and just like its teeth it could tore the flesh apart.

Suddenly Gunnarr stopped. "We have to go back, Eirikr." He pointed at a tree not so far from them. "I am not mad enough to walk behind that sign."

There was a silver pointed helm on the tree, and an armour. Under it there was something written:

Das Land des Todes

Das Land der Goten

Eirikr didn't know what it meant, but the elder said it's the sign of the Göter. Beyond that sign, the land belonged to them. Anybody who entered would be punished by death.

"We have to return, Hallsteinn." Gunnarr said again. "It is madness if we go further only for a lynx skin! Save our own skins, and we will return another day for the lynx!"

Hallsteinn looked at Eirikr, and then Gunnarr when he finally agreed.

Eirikr patted him on the shoulders. "Now we can look for that elk. I am hungry!"

"Or fish." said Hallsteinn.

"Or fish!"

They stood up. But before they could straight their body, right exactly in front of them, two pair of brown eyes stared at them. A big white lynx, as tall as Eirkr knees, and with fur as white as snow.. Stood in front of them like a Sigurdr, their chieftain sat on his chair. Tall and proud. Looked at them the way Sigurdr looked at them sometimes. As if it wanted to say "Your sight is not worth of my attention."

They looked at each other, and before they were able to decide what to do, the beast turned around and ran.

Without thinking Eirikr chased it. He lifted his spear and tried to aim at the beast. But the beast ran faster than him, it was some paces in front of him. It's not possible anymore to hit it. Vaguely he heard Gunnarr's and Hallsteinn's voice. "Run, Eirikr, run! Faster! Don't lose it!"

Suddenly the beast jumped and started climbing. Very quickly, it was already on the very top of the tree.

Eirikr threw his spear on the ground, and then started to climb. Jumped from branch to branch, until finally he was closed enough to the beast.

The beast was on a small branch which shook heavily. It looked like it didn't have a way out anymore. It bared its teeth to Eirikr, and his claws were out. It looked very angry.

Slowly Eirikr drew his sword. He only had one chance to aim it. One chance only. If he missed it, the beast would jumped down. And he could not jump to follow it. He had to be very careful and precise. Just like his father always said, "Aim the beast's neck, Eirikr. That's his weakness. And you have only one chance."

With all his power, he threw the sword. Zack. The sword went through the beast neck. For a moment the beast stared at him, and then those brown eyes went deemed and just an old leaf, it fell.

Eirikr climbed down. He was surprised to know how high the tree was. How did he get there?

At the time he removed the sword from the beast's neck, Gunnarr arrived.

"By Odin, Eirikr! Had I not known you since you were little, I could swear that you flew!"

"May be I did." Eirikr chuckled.

"Indeed you have light feet. But wings certainly you do not. Otherwise you would be Eirikr son of Hamr: he could shift his shape into a bird!"

"Or a lynx."

Gunnarr laughed. "Just pray that it was not Hamr whom you killed."

Both of them looked at each other and then to the ground. No, it was not Hamr, or any other man. It was a beast. They grinned at each other. They must have lost their minds to have that doubt.

Hallsteinn came with heavy breath. "By Odin, you had it! I will not forget your deed, Eirikr son of Magnus. I will not forget your deed!"

Eirikr cleaned his sword and shielded it.

"Come, we clean the beast and then go home."

"After the fish." said Hallsteinn. "I want to catch some fishes."

"What has come into you?" Gunnarr looked at him. "Lynx, and now fishes. Who will cook the fishes for you? If you ask me, there is no other woman in our village who can cook fishes better than Nenna, daughter of Hamr...hmh, her fish..." he stopped his sentenced. He looked at Eirikr, and then he screamed. "It is not true. By Frejya! Hallsteinn! Hah! I should have known!"

Hallsteinn's face turned as red as his hair. But he laughed.

"Good choice, Hallsteinn, good choice!" Gunnarr patted his shoulders. ""May Sif and Frejya send blessings to you, my friend!"

Hallsteinn nodded. His round's face was filled with a wide grin.

Quickly they skinned the beast. Carefully they removed the fur from its flesh, and then buried the flesh. The Svear believed if they didn't eat the meat of an animal, and no Svear would eat the meat of a lynx, a wolf or a tiger, they had to bury the flesh. Otherwise the smell of the rotten flesh would invite the children of Fenrir, the giant wolf, to come to the village and attack them.

With light feet they walked to river which laid through the forest and flowed to the Vänern lake. It was a big river. Six or seven boats could be laid beside each other, and they still could pass the water. The river was rich with fishes, its water was sweet and clean, so clean that they could see their own faces on its surface. And the freshness in it would soothe the tired feet.

Hallsteinn talked about catching the fishes whose meat were red only, because Nenna liked that kind of fish more than the others. And he also wanted to collect some oysters, not any kind of oyesters, but oysters with colourful houses, so that Nenna could make necklace or bracelets, or she could put them on his robs.

Eirikr listened to him with wonder. Hallsteinn must have drunken too much mead last night, that he could not think about anything else but Nenna, or may be it's true what some men said that women had strong magical power in them, so strong that it could fill the head of men with nothing but only wild thought about them.

Like Vidarr who's willing to leave the village and lived together with his woman in her village. Some said it was because the father of Vidarr's woman did not have sons. But after hearing Hallsteinn speaking about Nenna, he was not sure anymore.

And Gunnarr answered every thing with: "Sure you do." or "Indeed". And sometimes he made noises that Eirikr could not tell the meanings.

The sound of the water was getting louder as they got near by it. But the wind brought strange smell. Blood. There was smell of blood and rotten flesh.

They looked at each other, and then ran to the river. The water which was normally as clear as the sky, was red. The air was thickened by the rotten smell and the cry of the the kite. Slowly a body was floating, passing by them.

A Göter. They could tell from the armour he wore and the silver pointed helmet on the head.

And then again. And more.

Before they could see who or what the bodies were, a sound of horn reached their ears. The horn of Erlingsäng! It called the sons of Erlingsäng to run to it.

Eirikr and Gunnarr drew their swords, Hallsteinn lifted his spear. They made a circle with their backs against each other. For a moment they were on the position, until finally Eirikr said, "Hallsteinn, you go first. Run to the Hall. I will return with Gunnarr."

Hallsteinn nodded and then left them.

"What happened?" Gunnarr asked.

"I don't know." said Eirikr. He turned around to see the cloth the bodies. Except the Göter, he didn't recognize the clads of the other bodies. They wore red long clad, and a rob. The sons of Erlingsäng wore brown clad of animal skin, not red.

Gunnarr"s voice was trembled when he answered. "They were from Torkelfors, Vidarr's village. They are Vidarr's people."

Eirikr was never to Torkelfors. When Vidarr got married four winters ago, he was sick. He had had to stay in the village with his mother. He had never seen Vidarr since. He didn't know the look of Vidarr's woman nor his children.

"Run, Eirikr." Gunnarr said. "You are stronger than me. Our brothers might need you!"

"No, I am not living you."

"Run! Go! I still can hold my sword!" Gunnarr nodded.

Eirikr looked around them, and made sure that there was nobody else, and then he ran. The fastest run he ever made in his life, passing Hallsteinn and leaving him behind.

The sons and the daughters of Erlingsäng were coming from every wind direction to the Long Hall. The horns, which were blown from each guard towers, filled the the air and carried by the wind far to the forest and the lake, called everybody to come.

The Long Hall was full when Eirikr entered. Sigurdr, the chieftain of Erlingsäng was sitting on his thorn. On his right and left were standing four protectors of Erlingsäng. Magnus - his father, who watched the West, Tyggr, who watched the North, Alvar, who watched the East, and Birgir, who watched the South.

In front of them were two men clad in red. Their clads, hair and body were covered with mud and blood. One of them even had wound on his arms, and it was still dropping blood.

"....they came from the West in the death of night. Only a few of us were still awake and able to warn the others. They came in wave, as if Njörd himself had sent them to us. Death, death has came upon us! We were slain like a boar in an open field."

The Long Hall was full with roar.

"Silent!" Alvar said.

Slowly the Long Hall was quiet down.

"Where were your men, Egill son of Einarr?" asked Tyggr. "Had Torkelfors lost the love of her sons, that she was abandoned by her own sons when she needed?"

"Alas, for Torkelfors, her sons were on the ships when the raiders from the West came, the unworthy sons of Göter! Only a few of us remained. Vidarr, Arnvidr our chieftain, and a hand full of warriors. The rest were sons of Torkelfors who do not have enough winters yet. We fought like Thor had been with us, but our strength was less than theirs. They drew us and slain us without mercy, not that we begged any. Vidarr lead us to hide in the forest, and sent his falcon to bring the ill-news to our brothers on the ship. But alas, when they arrived, the unworthy sons of Göter had already burnt down our village, and they found our hiding place in the forest."

Egill walked to the front and handed Sigurdr a helmet.

The men and the women cried out when they saw it. It was Vidarr's helmet. They recognized it from the two horns on it. They were bent and on the middle between the horns there was a falcon. The helmet that was made by Hamr, as a wedding present, four winters ago.

Suddenly Eirikr felt weak. His knees seemed not to be able to hold his body. "My son!" he heard his mother cried. "My son!" He turned around to see her. She was running to the front, but before she was there, a man stopped her. Eirikr forced himself to move and went to her.

"Eirikr!" his mother fell into his arms.

Eirikr held her tight, and tried to meet his father's eyes. But his father didn't look at them. Eirikr could see that his father's face pale and his lips were getting smaller, but he didn't say a word.

"Silent!" Sigurdr's strong deep voice was heard in the Long Hall. The Hall was suddenly quiet. Even his mother didn't make a noise anymore. Only her body was shaken.

"Do tell, good men of Torkelfors. How Vidarr, our son, whom Thor himself would be proud to have him fighting side by side, had fallen."

"A simple man would have been fallen by a throw of a spear. But Vidarr was a mighty warrior. Not one, but a dozen swords of Göter had slashed him, and yet he was able to take down three of them with him. And four wounded. He swung his sword like Thor came down to the battle and gave his blessings. All his enemies were not dare to get near him, if they had to do it alone. Coward as they are, the unworthy sons of Göter came together to fight against one mighty son of Torkelfors!"

Sigurdr took the helmet, and then gave it to Magnus. "Then we should give Vidarr a big feast to lead him to Valhalla. Let Odin know that He would not regret to welcome him!"

"Yeah!" The Long Hall was full of cheers.

Eirikr looked down to his mother. Even she was smiling. The best thing that happened to A Svear was when his death was celebrated with a big feast, and a festive burial.

"Therefore Sigurdr son of Anundr, our chieftain Arnvidr son of Halvard sent us here." Egill's companion spoke. "He asks the sons of Erlingsäng to come to Torkelfors. One to help us rebuild our village and strengthen our force, and two, there is a pressing matter that has to be spoken."

"Then speak, Olaf son of Orvar!"

"Before Vidarr died, he told us not to send his woman to accompany him to Valhalla."

Again the Long Hall was roared with voices.

Eirikr looked around. What did it mean? Why were they angry?

Sigurdr raised his hand. "Why? Is his woman not worthy enough to accompany him? Can her womb not give him heirs worthy of his land and gold?"

"Four winters they spent together, and yes, her womb is still empty. But Vidarr loved her as Thor loves Sif."

"And yet, he loved his horses more than his woman!" Magnus broke his silence. His voice was trembled.

"And Vidarr loved Torkelfors and Arnvidr no more and no less than he loved Erlingsäng and you, Magnus son of Torsten. Arnvidr has no heir, except his daughter, Aude. Were his daughter sent to accompany Vidarr to Valhalla, then his line would be broken. What would become of Torkelfors without Anrvidr heir? For there is no other worthier leader than Arnvidr."

"Poor Arnvidr!" Magnus said. "Poor Torkelfors!"

The people started talking to each other. Some cursed the daughter of Arnvidr, for there was no more unluck than not to have heir. Some said how big was the unluck of Vidarr to have fallen and to have gone to Valhalla without his woman.

"Vidarr's last wish was to have his brother to fill the emptiness in his house, and to continue the line of Arnvidr."

Suddenly the Long Hall fell into silent. Like a stone fell into a well without bottom. No single noise was heard. Not even the sound of breath.

Eirikr realized every pair eyes in the room were at him. Piercing every part of his flesh. Even his mother removed herself from him.

The two men of Torkelfors turned around to his direction.

"Then doomed is Torkelfors." Olaf sighed. "So few winters he has, and so few flesh on his bones!"

Eirikr felt his face was burnt. Yes, he did not have so many winter yet, but he had enough flesh on his bones. Not as much as Gunnarr or Hallsteinn, but enough. He had never been in any battle, but he had proven himself as a good hunter. Not as good as Vidarr, but enough to provide himself with food.

His father gave him a sign to come to him.

But before he moved, suddenly the door of the Long Hall was open. A figure entered the Hall slowly. A woman. Her hair was as black as the night, and her clad was white. Her hip was tied with a silver belt. The chain around her neck was also silver. Her face was as white as her clad, but her eyes were black. Even blacker than her hair. Nobody could tell her age, because her face looked young, but if they looked into her eyes, they could see many winters had passed her.

Linnèa, the völva, had came down from her hill.

And suddenly, for Eirikr, the air in the Long Hall was never so heavy in his chest like today.

******************


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

"What does it mean that Vidarr didn't want his wife to accompany him to Valhalla?" asked Sookie. "Does it mean like what I thought, that she would be buried alive?"

"Yes." Eric stroke her hair. He didn't longer laid his head on Sookie's laps. Now, Sookie was the one who leaned on Eric's chest, and had his arms around her. "A Svear warrior needed his ship, weapons, horses, food and his woman or his mistress to accompany him to go to Odin."

"Buried them alive?! That's barbaric! It's....it's murder!"

"That's what we did back then."

"I can not believe that you simply accepted that! Eric, I thought you were better than that! You were the chieftain of your people, you could change that rule!"

"I was not the chieftain, back then. I was married to the daughter of the chieftain. And no, even a chieftain could not change the rules as he liked it." Eric's voice sounded like a teacher who tried to explain his lesson to a dumb pupil. Then as if he wanted to change the subject, he said, "You are cold. Come, let me take your blouse off." Without waiting for an answer, Eric pulled her blouse to the top, and threw her blouse away somewhere on the floor.

Sookie wanted to protest, she didn't want Eric's attention change. Because she knew, if he put his fingers on her body, she would not be able to listen to his story. But when she felt his lips caressing the back of her neck, and then softly, his fingers moved down to her bra, and 'click', the bra was open, she was not sure what to do. She could feel how her body reacted to his touch. Her nipples were getting hard, and her heart beating faster. Down below, between her legs, something was getting hot, and wet.

His lips were now on her spine. They were cold like ice, but she felt like she was being touched by burning coal. Now his tongue was licking it, sending shriver right to it.

"Eric..." she said, she tried to pull back her own concentration. With no result, she was out of breath, and if Eric continued doing it... "Please..."

With one pull, her bra was off. Just like her blouse, it was also thrown...away....somewhere.

_Oh, what the heck! _Thought Sookie. _The story can wait. _

She turned around and pushed Eric to the couch. For a moment she thought she would have found Eric grinning, with his fangs bared, and down below she would feel something hard pushing her back. But no. He was laying there with eyes that blurred. There was no grin, smirk, or tempting smile. And those eyes, those longing eyes were neither hers nor looking at her. They were _seeing_ somebody else.

_He must have loved her very much. _Sighed Sookie. _And if she had been here, there would have been no Eric and Sookie. There would have even been no Sookie in Eric's world!_

Slowly Sookie straighted herself up, and sat down at the corner of the couch, tried to get away from Eric as far as possible. This was the first time, after they had slept with each other, that she had this feeling of disgust (more of herself than of Eric), and hurt. Ashamed, too. She felt as if she wanted him so much, and he took her, not because he wanted her too, but more because he felt lonely, and his libido needed to be satisfied. She felt.........used.

Eric raised himself up. He opened up his bronze buckle, let it fall on the floor, and slowly opened his red tunic. Under his tunic, he wore armband from gold on each of his arms. It was a solid armband without any marking on it, except exactly on the middle of it, there was a snake's head with red stones as it's eyes. The black necklace that he wore, showed its pendant. A brownish claw of some animals. Was it from gold or bronze, Sookie didn't know.

_Aude's?_

Eric moved closer to her, and gently he put his tunic over Sookie's head. It was much too big for her, but it's much better than sitting half naked in front of him.

Eric took her face in his big hands, and wanted to kiss her, but Sookie put her fingers on his lips. She shook her head, weakly. _No, Eric. No more touch from you. _But when he removed her fingers, Sookie could not resist it. And then he kissed her. Not passionately like normally, but soft and tender. His lips were softly caressing the bottom part, and then the upper part. Like licking ice cream with a very rare taste, he moved his lips carefully, to make sure that he didn't miss any single inch. Then his tongue wrapped her tongue and sucked it, deep into his mouth until she could not breath anymore and just at the moment she wanted to tell Eric to let her tongue go, he let it go. Slowly. Inch per inch.

Sookie was sitting there with her mouth open. She could feel how warm and how wet her breath. If there had been a mirror in front of her, that mirror must have been blurred because of it.

Eric touched her lips with his mother finger. It was strange not to feel any breath came out from his mouth. Sookie knew, Eric had no beating heart. But still, it's just weird.

"I like it when you are jealous." he said. "Somehow it makes me feel.......wanted."

_Makes him feel wanted?!_

Who would not want him? Tall, handsome, with eyes as blue as bright sky in Summer time. Many women would die to have thick healthy blond hair like his, and men too if they had been honest. He might have seemed cold, but when he stared at a person, he or she would see how beautiful his eyes were, and little movement or twinkling in his eyes...Sookie believed people would get nut for that! And his body...oh, smooth and muscled at the same time. His butt were firm and gorgeous...they were the most perfect butt she'd ever seen. Round and firm, like good quality peaches. And every time her hands were on them, she felt like touching a rarity. Something that had to be treated with care. Oh!

Eric took Sookie in his arms. And then he laid down.

Sookie touched his chest. Cold like a chest of a marble statue. There was soft dark blond hair on it. If she had not been that close, she would have not seen them. On them was the pendant, pointed at her face, as if wanted her to stroke it.

Eric kissed her forehead. "It has been a long time, that somebody is jealous with my women. Somehow it's....sweet."

_Your women, or your wives? _

But Sookie decided not to ask. "Why did they say that you didn't have enough flesh?" she touched his arms. "You are muscled enough to me."

"You have to imagine the living at that time. There was no machines or computer. Everything was still done with hand. Men had to be strong and full of muscles, to do the houseworks, hunting, fighting. I was like ...a match stick for them."

"And how do you become like this?" Sookie stroke his arms gently.

"Years of hard work, and fighting."

"Fighting, like...."

"In battles."

"Battles...like war? Like second world war?" Sookie's eyes were widened.

"Like in the Second World War, yes. And many other wars. Except I used sword, spears and arrows."

In her mind flashed some adventure movies that Sookie had seen. Some knights with armour and swords. Somehow the imagination of Eric riding a horse with a sword in his hand was not bad. Not bad at all.

"And...how old was Aude?"

"Vidarr was 25 winters when he met her, and then married her at the same year. She was 20 winters, already too old for that time. But she was the daughter of a might chieftain, and Arnvidr was not an easy man to pleased. He wanted to make sure that the man of his daughter would give him proper heirs."

"So, she was older than you."

"Yes, she was older than me. Eight winters older." His voice sounded like it was a treasure.

"Why did you use that measurement, winters? Is it winter, like winter – the season?"

"Yes. Because we had only two times in a year. Winter, and summer. Time were divided into days and months."

"No week, or weekend?"

"No. We did not divide time like the way we divide time todays. And no, there was no weekends either. Every day was a working day, if you wanted to have food on the table."

_And I thought working in Merlotte was a torture!_

"And what that...how did you call her? Vv...vo..vo..."

"Völva."

"Yes, that one. What did she say, or did she say anything at the meeting?"

"She said something. A lot." and then Eric went quiet.

_What? What did she said? Oh, god damn it! Say it!_

Sookie tried so hard to keep her mouth shut. She had learned that to open her mouth too fast, in front of Eric, would only bring her to more problems. When they first met, she thought, if she had treated Eric the way she had treated Bill, straight to the point, showed no fear, as if saying "your fangs ain't scared me at all", it would have kept Eric away. Big mistake. It would only make this big viking...how he called himself...Svear, yes this big Svear warrior get interested in her, and wanted to get to know her.

On second thought, actually it had been not bad at all, because now they were together. May be she should have opened her mouth more often.

Sookie held him tight. "I like the smell of your hair." she said, tried to pull Eric out of 'his cave of silent' – the way Julie would describe it, if Dr. Samuel Patrick did not say a word anymore. "And your perfume. Why do you use perfume? You didn't sweat or smell bad."

"I like perfume." Eric said. "It soothes me. It reminded me to the meadow behind our house in Torkelfors. Aude planted a lot of flowers there. In Summer, her meadow was like a fountain of colours. Yellow, purple, blue, red and her favorite colour, white. Everywhere were scent and butterflies. Asgard was on earth, people said. It was quiet unusual for us, at that time. But Aude was not a pure Svear. Her mother was a Gallic. Perhaps it was a Gallic thing. I did not know, and I did not ask.

"How did her mother come to the Torkelfors? Was her village not so far from Torkelfors that they met in a market or something? You did had a market, didn't you?"

Eric gave her a smirk. "A kind of market. If a village had a harvest, people from other villages would come and trade their goods with each other. But Aude's mother was Arnvidr's war loot – a _thrall_ – a slave, and yet, she made him fell in love with her, and then made her as his woman."

"And her daughter made two big Svear warriors fell for her."

Eric kissed Sookie's forehead. "Yes, and she made a boy from Erlingsäng a man." His fingers ran through Sookie's hair, as he continued his story.

***************

The Long Hall was now like what Eirikr dreamt the banks of _Gjöll, _the river that flowed to _Hel,_ would be. Nobody moved, or made a sound. As if they were all waiting for a sign or a call to cross _Gjallarbrú_, the bridge that would lead the dead to _Náströnd, _a shore full of corpses.

Linnéa was in front of him. He could see now, closed as he was to her, that she was not as young as he remembered. Her white face looked like a face of dead woman.

Eirikr heard sounds of gasping. Nobody had been dared to look in the eye of a _völva _before. It was unluck, people said. To know what would happen to themselves, unless they were brave enough to face Odin, or may be _Hel_, the giantess who ruled the land of punishment.

That woman raised her hand, and was going to touch Eirikr's face, but he moved backward. That woman laughed. "Even now, you already gave us anger, Man from The North." she voice was deep and hoarse, as if she had swallowed a lot of smoke.

"I don't like being touched." Eirikr said, _by you._ He continued in his mind.

"So young, but yet so proud." she smiled.

"Sybyl, what an honour to have you here." Sigurdr's voice filled the Hall. And like breaking a spell, the Long Hall had noises again.

Sybyl was another word for seer. It was spoken when people did not want to make a seer angry. And Sigurdr was a wise man who knew how to ease a heart of a seer.

But Linnéa did not remove her sight from Eirikr, neither did he from hers. It was perhaps foolish of him, or his few winters made him did that. Eirikr did not know. He just did.

Suddenly she moved closer to him. A very strange smelled reached his nose, it's like a smell of rotten flesh. "We would meet again, Man from The North. Long time, after Valhalla and Hel did not dwell in the mind of the Svear." she whispered. "Beware of the woman from the South. She will weaken you, and possess you."

"Come, Good Sybyl!" said Sigurdr. "Not every day that you give us the honour. You certainly will not spend your time be bothered by such a young Svear!"

Linnéa turned her head around. "No, certainly not." she said. She gave Eirikr a look, a look made him feel like his blood was frozen, but he tried not to show it. Then slowly she walked to the front.

The men from Torkelfors moved to the side when she passed them by. But Linnéa caught the arms of Olaf, who's still dropping blood. "Who had bitten you?" she asked. "Had you slain him?"

Olaf looked at her in fear. "What did you see, Linnéa daughter of Moa? Did you see my death?"

"If you had not slain the beast that bitten you, Son of Fenrir, then I fear, soon you would listen to the sound of your father's voice. But weary not. Rest your head in the forest, and feast the flesh of your enemies. Learn how to use your teeth. Learn well, and in the forest you should dwell. Only then, you would see many winters, and prosper!"

Olaf pulled his arms. "You rave like a mad woman! There is no love for wolves in my house, let alone for Fenrir! I even killed one of them ere night on our way to Erlingsäng. Yes, a pack of wolves attacked us when we entered the forest of the Göter. I did not know if I had slain the beast that had bitten me, but I slain one of them."

That woman looked at the blood on the wound, and then on the floor. "Alas, Son of Fenrir. Your father's blood had already run inside you."

He drew his sword. "Take back your words, or I swear on the name of Orvar, my father, I will cut your throat!"

"Sheath your sword, good Olaf!" Sigurdr got down from his thorn. "This is the Long Hall, sacred place of Erlingsäng, where no blood may be spilled." And then he gave his hand to Linnéa. "Sit beside me, Linnéa daughter of Moa, and tell me what you have seen."

A chair was put beside Sigurdr's chair. The four protectors of Erlingsäng were now standing side by side beside Sigurdr.

"Do tell, what did you see!" said Sigurdr when they already sat.

"Blood. Cold blood that runs in the body of an undead." Her eyes were fixed on Eirikr. "If that young Svear leaves the meadow, he would not see the brightness of the sun, nor he could differ the taste food or sweetness of wine."

The Long Hall was filled with roars. So loud, that Eirikr thought, sooner or later, the roof would tumble down because of it. His mother grabbed his hand, so tight, that it hurt.

"What a curse that runs through my blood, that brought evil upon my house?" Magnus said. "The body of my first born is not yet cold, and now you saw the death of my other son."

"Long life and prosper he should have." Linnéa said. Her face was frozen. "And many thralls may serve him. And yet, coldness would fill his house. And doomed. For his line would be broken, and yet his flesh would stay un-scattered."

"You are talking in riddles, Linnéa. How can a line would be broken, if the flesh stay un-scattered? Would the house of Magnus be abandoned and broken, if he took the daughter of Arnvidr as his woman?"

"The time would come when new gods arrive, and teach new life. Valhalla and Hel would be empty from Einherjar. The Val-fader and his sons would be nothing but mist figures in the forgotten land. The Svears and The Göter would lay down their swords and spears. Their ships broke waves but not lands and caves. Poems and songs of heroes would be forgotten and remembered only by those who read and listened to Edda.

But your son, Magnus, would go on living, as the sons of Fenrir would roam and hide."

"It's a raving talk." Eirikr mumbled. "From a raving woman." That woman must have been drunken too much mead! She started talking like Hallstein, when he talked about Nenna.

Suddenly the Long Hall was becoming too quiet for him. Eirikr looked around, and realized everybody was staring at him. By Odin, he must have spoken too loud.

Linnéa pointed Eirikr with her mother finger. Her black eyes seemed to get blacker, and her face was whiter. Her voice sounded rougher and hoarser than before when she spoke: "Do not challenge me, Young Svear. Young and proud as you are, indeed it would take you far, as far as the dragon ship may take you, and beyond. And yet, your pride is your own enemy.

Remember this, and remember well, Young Svear. As Frej was sickened by his own love and longing to Gerd, the fair giantess, you would be sickened by your own love and longing to the one you love and leave you beside the fair view of Vänern. She would curse your heart until the time came when my daughters bound you with their spells, and empty your soul. You would be a slave of your own pride. Blind and crawling, living under the mercy of the sons of Fenrir!"

"No!" His mother ran to the front. "Have a mercy on my careless son, good Linnéa! I beg you and your daughters to forgive the foulness of his youth!"

"What has became of me?" Magnus asked. "Not only that my line would be broken, my own flesh and blood would be under the rule of Fenrir, and brough Ragnarök with him!"

"Good Sybyl." Sigurd took her hand and asked her to sit. "Indeed such a careless one, he is. But surely, you must have seen it in your dreams. Why do you bring such anger to my people? Did we or did we not treat you with respect? Did you or did you not receive our best food and our best wine? Many of our women were not given silver and gold, and yet, we gave all our silver to you, as a sign of our respect. Since many of your words had came true.

Perils was over our land, and perils will come to our land. Your wise words would be needed to ease the sorrow and the fear of our hearts. And yet you came and brought ill news. What have we done that offense you?"

Slowly Linnéa rose from her chair. In Eirikr's eyes, her body got bigger and bigger. And the room seemed to get darker. As if a shadow of a giantess as big as mountain covered the Long Hall.

"You all, men of Svear, remember this: A king from the north would come. Asked by his woman, his fair hair would not be untouched by any sword of any kind, until his banner flew in the wind and would be blown in every direction, until every land that he saw became his. He would reign over you, and brought the new gods upon your land. You would give your swords gladly, and by his side you would raise your swords against his enemy. And when you embrace your new gods, you would raise your swords against me and my daughters. Tied and put me on the wood on the fire, the way you tied and put your boar.

And you, Young Svear and the son of Fenrir, learn and learn well. When the wave of fear wiped the poem and the song of praise and love, hide and unbecome of what you are. Pride and bravery would only bring perils and death!"

And then she smiled. To Eirikr surprise, her teeth were white. No pointed ones or rotten flesh. He wondered from where that smell came from.

"I am not the son of Fenrir!" Olaf raised his sword and ran toward Linnéa, but a few step before he reached her, the völva moved her hand, and sword flew out of his hand, and fell to the floor. Olaf was thrown some paces back, and landed on the floor. The wound on his arms were torn, and now bleeding much more.

"Had your elders not taught you, Son of Fenrir, not to across a völva, for Sif Herself once was one, before Thor took her as his wife?"

Eirikr wanted to draw his sword, when a hand stopped him. He turned around. Gunnarr. He shook his head. "Sheath it, Eirikr." he said in a low voice. "You caused too much problems already. Listen to her, and ease your mother's pain."

For a moment Eirikr wanted to push away Gunnarr's hand, but when he saw his eyes, and realized how true his words were, he sheathed his sword back.

"Enough!!" Sigurdr rose.

The Long Hall became quiet.

It was not only Eirikr who drew his sword, but almost all men of Svear who were in the Hall. Linnéa the völva had raised both of her hands and spread them like a tiger ready to attack.

"I would not allow any sword drown in this Hall. Any man who draws his sword will have to charge his sword to me!" he said.

One by one the sword was sheathed back to its place.

"Had you, men of Erlingsäng lost your faith in my words?" Sigurdr asked.

"No, Sigurdr!" the men of Erlingsäng answered almost at the same time.

"Then this is my word: We took our brothers from Torkelfors into our heart, then their death should be avenged! We send part of our men to their aids, and the rest would stay here to protect our land from any danger! The death of a mighty warrior such Vidarr son of Magnus has to be remembered. There will be no day for us for mourning, for Vidarr himself is now proudly standing beside Odin and we will give him a kingly feast, so that Odin and his sons would not pity him! But first, we tend your wound, Olaf son of Orvar, so you and Egill can rest your heavy burdens! The council and I will talk about our perils. And you, Eirikr son of Magnus, I bid you to stay. Choose wisely whom shall stay to speak for you, for you are not yet having your 20th winter. And the rest of you, leave !"

Eirikr looked at Gunnarr. "Let Gunnarr son of Alvar be my mouth. For I trust him with my life."

Gunnarr stared him back. He smiled at him, faintly. Strangely, Eirikr could not tell whether Gunnarr was contend with his choice or not.

"Then Gunnarr son of Alvar, it is."

One by one the people of Erlingsäng left the Long Hall, till there were only a few people left. The four protectors of Erlingsäng, Sigurdr, Linnéa the völva, three men who were member of the council, Gunnarr and Eirikr himself.

Erlingsäng had since long time, seven people who took care of the needs of its people. Four protectors for every wind direction, to protect Erlingsäng from any enemies which might enter the village, one man who took care of the food and water, one for the weapon, and one for the herbs and tend those who were sick.

"Forgive us, good Linnéa. You know you are always welcome in our village. Our hearts are heavy with the lost of our son, that made us treated you like enemy."

"You are a good man, Sigurdr son of Eileifr ." said Linnéa. "I would remember your deed and spare you from your ill faith."

"Do tell us, what do you see in your dreams?"

Linnéa did not answer. Her eyes were again fixed at Eirikr. "Do not allow this young one leave the meadow. Perils will be upon him!"

"Had I the power upon him, I would forbid him to leave. Alas he was not my son. Magnus, what say you?"

"One part of my heart would share your thought. But yet, my other son had called his name to continue his line. Alas for the house of Magnus, which would be written in blood, broken and forgotten, and their father who could not lead the way."

Eirikr could not see his father like that. He looked old and weak, like a broken branch, hung heavy not by ripe fruits, but by rotten leaves. _Say the words, Father. And I will do._

"What say you, Gunnarr?"

"Is it or is it not the duty of a Svear to fulfill the wish of the beloved one? And yet, we are here, gathered and ask ourselves what deed shall be taken. Are we not proud people of Svear, who vowed upon the grave of our fathers to follow their steps?"

"And where those steps should lead you, Gunnarr son of Alvar?" Without taking her eyes off Eirikr she asked. "Are you willing to give your life and follow Death to whenever end?"

"What a question you have given us tonight, Linnéa daughter of Moa." Gunnarr said. "Have I not faced Death since I was a child? I don't fear Death."

Now Linnéa looked at Gunnarr. "Then what do you fear, good Gunnarr?"

"You, and your kind." Gunnar answered.

"Fear me not, good Gunnar. Fear the one you would follow. For he would lead you to Death Himself."

Gunnarr looked at Eirikr. And Eirikr showed a light in his eyes, a light that made his blood suddenly ran cold. "Then to Death he should lead me."

Eirikr nodded. _Then to Death you should lead me, Gunnarr. _

"Wise indeed your choice, young Svear." said Linnéa. She took her chain off her neck, and gave it to Eirikr. "Make it as part of your flesh, and Death shall turn his face away from you."

Eirikr took the chain from her hand, and then put it around his neck.

"Light indeed my burden, now that you saw a better light for my son, good Linnéa." said Magnus.

"Be proud of your son, Alvar son of Ingvarr" said Sigurdr. "For young he is, but wise indeed."

"Gunnarr is a proud son of Erlingsäng. And a proud father I am to have such a son." said Alvar. "Yet, Magnus should also be proud of his son, who could see the heart of people, and does not turn his face away from the lesser one. Let his voice be heard!"

"I love my brother." Eirikr said firmly. "I will fulfill his wishes, and make him proud."

"Then pray that you'd never be part from my chain, Young Svear. Or we would meet again, and when we met, my daughters and I would not offer any mercy or kindness."

Eirikr looked at the völva. "Then pray that we would never meet again, Völva. Or when we met, then my kindreds and I would not offer any mercy or kindness."

**********


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Take the place of Vidarr in his house?!" Hallsteinn said it loudly. His body shuttered, his face was pale. His hand which held the lynx skin was shaken. "Take the place of Vidarr?!"

"Yes, Hallsteinn." Gunnarr was the one who answered. "Eirikr would take the place of Vidarr, takes his house, land, gold, horses, and woman."

"And leaves Erlingsäng?"

"And leaves Erlingsäng."

Then they fell into silent.

The sun hung low in the west sky, surrounded by red and yellow colours. The top of trees under it looked like the giants stood still watching over the people of Erlingsäng.

The council decided to go to Torkelfors by the daybreak. The men who guarded the Erlingsäng from the West and the North would stay, meanwhile the others who guarded from The East and the South would go to Torkelfors. Went along with them would be Gunnarr and Eirikr.

Eirikr watched the women who were preparing food for the journey. Cutting dried meat and put them in skin sack, some fruit in the basket, and filled the skin bag with water. Their mouths were sealed, but he could see sadness in their eyes. Soon some of them would be separated from their men. Some men might return, some might not. Eirikr knew, he would not return.

And sitting under the trees, together with Gunnarr and Hallsteinn, watching the men of Erlingsäng preparing themselves for the journey, made Eirikr realized that the days where he and Hallsteinn hunted together in the forest, or caught fishes in the river were over. He would not be able to bath in the lake, to chase deer only for laughs, or to watch Hallsteinn try to get near to Nenna. He would have his own house, land, and woman. Far away from the people and the things that he had known since he was a child.

His eyes searched for his mother. There were many things he wanted to say to her. He wanted her to know, how much he would miss her food, especially her smashed lingonberry, the shoes that she made, and most of all the songs that she sung before he slept. He also wanted to hear her saying words that would ease his heart.

But she was nowhere to be seen.

"You will not return, will you, Eirikr? Like Vidarr. You would stay there in Torkelfors." Hallstein voice turned his head around.

"I am afraid not, good Hallsteinn."

"You should have refused it. What good would it be for you, to have such an old woman who can not bear you a heir?"

"She will give me a heir." answered Eirikr. He forced himself to say it firmly. But he knew, his voice did not convince neither Hallsteinn, nor Gunnarr. And somehow, neither his mind.

"Why did you agree with it, Gunnarr? You could have said something different."

"Because that's what Eirikr wants." said Gunnarr.

"Is it, Eirikr?"

Eirikr looked at his friends. What he wanted was to ease his father's burden. His father would have wanted him to follow Vidarr's step, to continue his line. "I don't know." he decided not to tell them what he had thought.

Again, three of them fell into silent.

"You never have a woman." Hallsteinn broke the silence.

"No." Eirikr said.

"You should have come with us to the haven last summer." Gunnarr said. "There are women you could have for some penningar."

"I should have." said Eirikr.

Hallsteinn sighed. "I will be left behind."

"I am sure, as soon as you give Nenna the lynx skin, you will forget us." said Gunnarr.

"Even after Hamr spoke to the völva?"

For a moment Eirikr did not know what Hallsteinn meant, until he saw a figure with black hair standing near by the Long Hall. Beside her standing a man with leather apron.

"What do you think they were talking about?" Hallsteinn sounded worried. "Had they talked about Nenna, I would be doomed. Hamr would know that I did not hunt this lynx alone. But then, everybody knew anyway that I am not a good hunter."

"Good Hallsteinn, you are a good farmer." said Gunnarr. "You may have not been a good hunter, but you are a good farmer, and a good fish catcher. Sif might not fill your cask with elk's milk and your jar with meat, but surely she will fill them with goat's milk, whey and fish!"

"What has come into you, Gunnarr? There are not many days that you have been kind to me." Hallsteinn looked at Gunnarr in disbelief.

"Yes, good Gunnarr. What has come into you?"

Gunnarr looked at them, and then said, "I had a dream, that I would not to return to Erlingsäng. Some good words for heavy hearts would make one remember me after I have gone."

Hallsteinn tapped his shoulder. "Then you should, my friend!"

The darkness came down in Erlingsäng. Fire was lighted, wood was burnt. The men who were chosen to go, gathered together around the fire. Eating and drinking, and telling story to brace their hearts. Even when they laughed and said brave words, they knew, they would leave their houses for quiet sometimes, leave their women and children behind.

Eirikr sat only for a while around the fire. He could not help but had a feeling, that the men looked at him with mixture of pity and admiration. He knew, he might have been the first one who was brave enough to stare back at Linnéa. And he also knew, for some it was more foolishness than bravery.

He entered his house with heavy heart. It would may be the last time that he saw the spears at the corner, and smelled the food that had been being prepared by his mother.

The fire in the middle of the room was burning, but nobody was around. And then the door to his parents room was open.

His mother. Standing in front of the door, with eyes that were red and swollen. She had been crying.

"Mother," Eirikr came to her.

"Forgive me, my son." she said. "I did not want to spill hot water on your road to your new place." she touched his face. "But you are so young, and so foolish."

"Forgive me, Mother, if I ever broke your heart, and made you cry." he said. "I do what Vidarr wanted me to do."

His mother took him in her arms. "You have such a generous heart." she said. "May you keep it well."

Eirikr held her tightly. "I will, Mother."

"And now, this is yours." His father's voice filled the room.

Eirikr turned around to find him standing behind him with Vidarr's helmet in his hand.

"May you use it well."

Eirikr took the helmet. "I will, Father."

Magnus laid his hand upon Eirikr's shoulder. "May you live long and prosper, My Son!"

Eirikr put the helmet on his head. And without being able to stop it, the tears ran down his face.

"Ssst, don't cry, My Son." his mother whispered.

"You are a man, now." His father said. "Do not let any man see you cry."

Eirikr wiped off his face. "Yes, Father." he tried to smiled, but his mouth started to shake, and no matter how hard he tried, he could not hold his tears.

"You are a strong man, Eirikr. Stronger than you thought." he heard his father said. "You will find your own way, my son. I know you will."

As the day broke, thirty men of Erlingsäng left their village. Standing on the ship that slowly floated on the river, Eirikrs' eyes gazed at the banks. Hallsteinn was standing there, with a spear in his hand. Eirikr wondered if Hallsteinn ever had a chance to ask Hamr about Nenna. His round figure was getting smaller as the ship moved farther.

"Hallsteinn The Happy," Gunnarr said. "Surely I would miss his snore." and then as if he remembered something, he continued. "Let's pray it would not reach Odin's ears."

Eirikr smiled. It didn't matter how hard Gunnarr tried to jest, he knew, it was not an ease for Gunnarr to leave Erlingsäng.

"Do you think he asked Hamr already?" asked Gunnarr.

"Were I him, I would have." answered Eirikr.

"Hamr is coming with us. Had he not asked, it could be too late for him." said Gunnarr. "I heard, Linnéa advised him to come. If we have a son of Fenrir with us, then it will be better for us to have a shifter with us."

_A shifter? _

"That's how Linnéa called Hamr." He moved closer to Eirikr. "Were Olaf son of Orvar turning into a wolf, it would be handy to have a Skogkatt or any kind of animal around him. Is it not?"

Eirikr did not know if Gunnarr was jesting or not. He was grinning, but his eyes were not twinkling. Those hazel eyes were smaller than usual. He only did that when he had something else in his mind.

_And what would Linnéa call Olaf son of Orvar, had he turned into a wolf? A were-wolf?_

As if Gunnarr could hear what he thought, his grin was wider. "But I would not call him by that name." he said. "Did you see how strong he swung his sword, even when he was wounded? Surely you do not want him to charge his sword against you."

"Yes, I did saw it, and no I do not wish him to charge his sword against me. But perhaps I would learn a blow or two from him. Tell me, Gunnarr. From where you knew all those things?"

"I've heard." he answered. And then he was silent.

Gunnarr seemed to know every thing before they were spoken. For a man who did not have many friends, he must have listened to every single words that have been carried by the wind. Or had he listened to many women talking meanwhile they were washing the clads?

The ship passed by the border between Forest of Erlingsäng and the land of the Göter. At its shore they saw head of a dead one on a pole. On its head was a pointed silver helmet and below it was an armour.

"I swear upon my father's name." Gunnarr said, "I will bring a lot of that cursed helmets one day."

"You will, my friend. You will!"

"Men, charge your bows, and shield yourselves!" Alvar said. He was standing in the middle of the ship.

Quickly the men stood side by side on the edge of the ship. The strings of their bows were pulled, and arrows were pointed to The Göter land.

The ship seemed to creep, bit by bit it moved farther away. Nobody moved, nor made any sound. The sound of water that hit the ship filled Eirikr's ears. Came and went, like a drum that was beaten in the early morning. Dum. Dum. Dum. And the wind seemed louder than usual too. He swore he could hear the sound of the rustling leaves, and his own heart beating.

Suddenly he saw her. Linnéa. Standing on the shore, looking at him.. Her silver chains were glimmering under the morning sun. Her face, now that he could see under bright light, looked paler. It seemed like she was aging very fast in one night.

Eirikr turned to the left to tell Gunnarr what he had seen. "Gunnarr," he whispered. "The Völva..."

"What?" Gunnarr asked.

"I saw the Völva." he said.

"Where?"

Eirikr shook his arrow to point the position of the Völva, but she was not there anymore.

"Forget her, Eirikr." Gunnarr said. "She will poison your dreams if you let her."

The pointed helmet was becoming smaller and smaller. After it was not seen anymore, Alvar said: "Men, low your bows! And back to your positions! We must move swift. Row with your might, Men. We must reach the shore of Torkelfors by the daybreak. We shall not let Vidarr wait for his journey to Valhalla."

The men lowed their bows, and returned to their positions.

Slowly but steady, the ship was getting faster. The ship of Erlingsäng was built according to Svear fashion. It was made from old growth oaks with a shape like an egg, only slimmer. The hull was made from wood which was rived into planks, plated with iron – which was forged by Hamr and his helpers, so that the planks overlapped along the edge. At the end, the planks was joined together, and the whole length which they called _strake_, made not only the ship lighter, but also seaworthy. The front part they decorated with a dragon snout, painted in brown, gold, and red. The back part was the tail of a dragon, also painted in brown, gold, and red. On its hall, hung big shields painted in any kind of colours as their owners desired.

This time, they did not use _Knarr_ – a proud ship with length about 54 feet, and easily be able to carry more than 100 warriors, but _Karve_. A smaller ship, which could float in shallow and rough waters like water on the river of Torkelfors.

It was Eirikr's first journey on a ship. It was also Gunnarr's first time. Sometimes, Gunnarr would go to the haven at the Vänern lake, but mostly for selling the whey or fur with his father. But he was too weak to join the men sailing on the ship to other land. He was also never in any battle. And Eirikr could not help but notice, how happy Gunnarr was. _Alas, _he thought. _I can not feel his happiness. _

Leaving his place to go to a strange place and be with an unknown woman was never in his dream. What happened if she did not please him? He knew, she was Vidarr's woman, and Vidarr would have chosen only those who pleased him. And she must have pleased him, since Vidarr still kept her even though she had not given him heir.

But he was not Vidarr. And his heart might not have been as gracious as Vidarr's.

"Behold, Men! The water ahead will be rough. Mind your strength, and your eyes. We have to pass the rough water before the night falls. Or, pray that Odin be with us!"

Eirikr leaned his body over the edge of the ship, he noticed that the water ran faster than before.

"Eirikr, Gunnarr, let Åke and Dagr take your oars, and sit here beside me!" said Alvar.

Eirikr and Gunnarr stood up, and went to the front.

"Hold tight, my sons. And brace yourselves. I hope you did not fill your stomach with too much food last night."

The boat was filled with laughters.

Eirikr looked at Gunnarr. "What does it mean?" he whispered.

"Don't mind my father." Gunnarr answered. "He is jesting."

But Eirikr was not sure. Gunnarr's face was pale. He did not speak the truth.

The answer came sooner than he thought. Big stones were here and there broke the water into some parts, and made it getting rougher. The ship was shaken heavily. Some of the men put the oars on the stones and pushed the ship away from them.

"Steady, steady!" Eirikr heard Alvar's voice. "Left!" But the rest he could not understand anymore. He was bumped and shaken, and wet. The water jumped and splashed on his face, and clad. He felt like he was in a big cask, and somebody turned him around. His head was getting heavy, and his stomach was raging. He grabbed the bench tightly, but it did not help to calm down his stomach. It was burnt now. As if somebody was cooking inside his stomach. Stirring whatever inside faster and faster. The ship continued shaking, made his feeling worse. And when it bumped a stone heavily, he could not stand it anymore. Whatever he had inside his stomach came out like water broke a damn.

He did not know how long it had been going on, but by the night fell, the ship was going calmer.

"We made it!" he heard somebody said.

"Yeah!"

Eirikr turned around to find Gunnarr, and somehow felt relieved when he saw that he was not the only one who had been defeated by the water. Gunnarr was also pale and on his face and clad were covered by stains.

Alvar stroke his head, laughing. "You have a lot to learn, my boy!" he said. "Pray that you handle your women better than you handle the water!"

The men laughed.

Eirikr forced himself to smile. He would certainly do.

The ship floated smoothly. The men did not row with much power anymore. The lamps were lighted, and the sail were rolled up. The sky was clear and full of stars. The moon was not yet full, hanging at the edge of the horizon.

Eirikr and Gunnar were sitting on the ground, in front part of the ship, near by the part which held the dragon snout.

"By tomorrow it will be full moon." Gunnarr said. "My father said we will through the forest for one day before we reached Torkelfors."

"Then it will be easier for us to know the way."

"And so The Göter."

"Have you fear, Gunnarr?"

"Yes, I have fear. But not of the Göter." he said.

"Then of what?"

Gunnarr did not answer.

"Gunnarr, you listened to Linnéa too much. Have you not said to me, not to let her poison my dream?"

"Yes."

"Then use your own words, Gunnarr. Don't let her poison your dreams. And now, sleep. Tomorrow we will need our strength to push the ship to the shore."

The day came as fast as the night. When Eirikr opened his eyes, the ship was on the shore. The sun was low on the East, colouring the sky with its yellow reddish light. Eirikir stood up, and joined the men pushed the ship closer to the shore. After they tied the ship to the pole, they continued their journey on foot.

Alvar was in the front, and Birgir was in the back. Between them was the men of Erlingsäng, and two men of Torkelfors. Olaf was walking with Egill, and behind them was Hamr.

Easily, Eirikr followed the steps of the men, who were fast and long. But Gunnarr had difficulty to follow. Many times Birgir had to push him or pull him so that he would not be left behind.

"I do not know that you could walk this fast, Young Eirikr." Arnbiorn said. "Had I known, I would take you for hunting. I heard you help Hallsteinn with the lynx."

"Yes." Eirikr said.

"If you return to Erlingsäng next winter, I will take you, Eirikr. Light feet would come handy for hunting."

Eirikr nodded.

Arnbiorn patted him on the shoulder. "But first, you learn how to tame a woman. Light feet do not always come handy."

The men laughed.

"Or they will. If the women start raving!" continued Frösten.

They laughed louder.

Eirikr did not know what it meant, but he smiled nevertheless.

"If you have to choose among us who should give you wise words in your wedding, make sure that you choose Frösten son of Sverkir. He will give you many lesson on how to use your light feed when your women start raving." said Arnbiorn. "He knows many, you can believe me!"

The men roared with laughter.

Alvar raised his spear, and the men stopped laughing. They drew their swords, and lifted their spears.

"We are entering the forest of Torkelfors. Watch your back, and protect the weak and the young ones. We should have the journey finished in a day. But there are many perils in the forest for the moment. Be keen and alert."

The trees in Torkelfors forest were old. They could tell by the size, and the height of the trees. Some trees would need three four men held their hands one after the other, and they would not be able to complete the circle of the tree. Most of them were very high, that the sunlight could not be seen from the ground. The trees stood close to each other, plaited their branches over the other, and made the ground dark. The air was tight, it made them hard to breath.

They moved slowly but steady. As if they did not want to be heard, they tried to make as little sound as they could. It was neither the beast nor The Göter that they feared of – Svear people would take any challenge to fight Göter at any day, but it was more the thought of saving their power and numbers that they were keen of.

Eirikr was not walking beside Gunnarr. He knew Gunnarr would not run from any battle, but he was weak for the moment from the rough water. Eirikr was not better, but he could move faster than him.

"Stay close, Young Eirikr." Arnbiorn said. "And you will be safe."

Eirikr nodded.

They were getting deeper into the forest. It was getting darker and darker. The light could not break through the tightness of the leaves anymore. Eirikr felt heavy in his chest. He could see the breath that came out from his mouth, like a fire breath from a dragon.

After for some times which Eirikr felt like a whole day already, Alvar and Birgir decided to stop and had some rest. Eirikr sat down under a big white tree, side by side with Gunnarr. Not so far from them was Olaf. His face was pale, but sweat ran down from his head as if his body was on fire. His eyes were wild, and he could not stand still.

A small fire was made, and they circled it to eat and to some some rest.

The warmth was slowly spreading, bringing some thought of home to Eirikr's mind. At this time, in Erlingsäng, he would have been sitting in front of big fire, eating fresh red meat and warm bread from the fire, and drinking mead. Or he would eat a big piece of warm bread with butter and smashed lingoberries mixed with honey and drinking warm elk's milk.

Eirikr sighed. But he was in the middle of a forest now, sitting on cold ground in front of small fire, eating dried meat and drinking water. Alvar did not allow them to drink the mead. He wanted them to stay alert. _Later, _he said. _In Torkelfors, we empty our brothers' casks and jars, that they would feel sorry to invite us to come!_

"Good Alvar," Eirikr heard Egill speaking. "Olaf is worsening. He needs medicines."

"Poor Olaf." Alvar said. "He has to wait until morning. I heard there is a wise woman lives near by Torkelfors village. Or we have to cut his arm."

Suddenly Olaf drew his sword. "Then I challenge any of you to do it!"

Some of the men were on their feet, their swords were drawn.

"Dark then the future of The Svear, if among us the swords are drawn." Alvar said. He gave a sign to the men of Erlingsäng to sheath their swords. "Good Olaf, short was our meeting, but listen to my words. Your good flesh should be kept, and your bad flesh should be part from your body."

"I will not die as a cripple!" Olaf moved his sword like a raving man.

The swords which had been sheathed, now were again drawn with their shields raised, and the men of Erlingsäng, like a flash, circled Olaf. Eirikr was standing on his feet, holding his sword, but did not know what to do. He could neither join them nor desert them. They were his _people._ His people, and Vidarr's, who would be his too.

Egill was also on his feet, standing beside Olaf. His sword and shield were also raised. "We came to you as your brothers." he said. "And now you treat us as enemy."

"We do not hold grudge against you, Egill son of Einarr. But those who raise swords against us, shall better use them!" one of the men said, which followed by some angry shouts.

"I will not die as a cripple, and meet _Hel." _Olaf said. "My place is in Valhalla with Vidarr!" He leaped to charge his sword to one of the men. But before his sword met any shield, from the darkness of the forest a loud noise of metal clunk was heard.

They turned around to see.

Two shadows were towards them. And when they were near, it was clear for the Svears, who were they. Two Göter. One them was heavily wounded and could not walk anymore. He was dragged by the other one, who was not in much better state. His chain mail was red from blood, and there was a big deep of scratch on his face.

They fell in front of them.

Eirikr never saw a living Göter before. The bodies that he saw yesterday, he _knew _that they were Göter from the chain mails and the pointed helmets that they wore. Were they wearing their daily clads, he would not have recognized them.

They had the same skin like him. He was not sure with the colour of their hair, but from the parts which were not covered by blood and mud, they were red. And their eyes were blue, like his. Easily they would have been seen as men from Erlingsäng!

Alvar went to them, and then spoke a tongue Eirikr never heard before. Alvar was a man of trade. He went to haven often, and knew some tongue. It must have been Göter's tongue. The man answered in trembled sound. Eirikr did not understand a word they said, but he knew, there was something that brought great danger. He could see how Alvar's face was turning pale when he stood up. There was fear in his eyes. And Alvar was not a man who was easily frightened.

"Men..." before Alvar could finish his words, one of the Göter grabbed his leg.

"_Tötet uns._" he said. "_Bei Tiwaz!"_

Alvar turned around, and in a quick move, he buried his sword in him, and then in the other one.

The hand that held his leg was slowly opened, and then fell on the ground.

The Svear looked at them in alert. Even Olaf stopped raving his sword.

"They were scouts, who were sent to go to Torkelfors."

"Curse them!" Egill spitted on the ground.

"There were five of them. But on the rand of the forest they were attacked by a group of beasts. They looked like wolf, but bigger. So big were the beasts, that _Tiwaz – _He who protects The Göter in battles, had not come to assist them....."

Suddenly Olaf leaped and ran to the darkness.

"By Odin!" Egill said. "Madness has finally won over him!"

"Egill, you met the beasts some nights before. Do tell us what you saw!"

"They were a group of wolves, and yes, they were big. Had I not slain one of them myself, I would swear that they were brothers of _Skoll _and _Hati, _the sons of Fenrir. There was something strange about them. As if they could understand what Olaf and I had spoken. They were gathered and charged us like warriors would have charged. And there was a big wolf among them, the biggest of them all, which gave them orders, and just like good warriors, they listened to him."

"Did you have a good look how they looked like?"

"They were beasts, like any other beasts we have seen, only bigger, much bigger. Alas I had not enough time to see them. We ran as fast and far as we could, after Olaf was bitten. And now he ran to meet them again, as if it was not enough for him to face them." said Egill, leaping forward. But before he managed to go far, the wind brought howling sound from deep inside the forest. And suddenly, around them, they heard sound of breaking branches. The sound of the howling was getting near and near.

Without being told, the men of Erlingsäng made a circle. Even Egill returned and joined the circle.

"Eirikr, Gunnarr, in the circle! Stand close to the fire!" Alvar said.

Eirikr and Gunnarr ran to the middle, and stood with their back against each other. Their swords and shields were raised.

"Whatever happens tonight, Eirikr has to reach Torkelfors." Alvar said. "And the rest of us, we'll meet again in Valhalla!"

The howling was closing in. So close, that Eirikr could feel their breaths were down on his neck. Their steps were getting louder, as if they tumbled down trees on their way.

And suddenly, Eirikr felt somebody or something was watching him. From somewhere above among the trees. He looked to sky. There was nothing, except darkness. He even could not tell if it was the top of the trees or the sky that he saw. But why he could not get rid off the feeling that somebody was watching him?

"Eirikr, there is nothing there." Gunnarr said. "Guard your front, and not above!"

Eirikr turned around. How did Gunnarr know what he was thinking?

Some yellow lights were approaching. They were all over them. And getting more and more. As if now the forest were filled with nothing but yellow lights.

"Steady," Alvar said. "Wait for my words. Hold your weapon!"

Eirikr's heart beat faster. His hands were shaken, and his legs were weak. Yes, he hunted some beasts before, but those eyes looked like they belonged to giant beasts. And if they really could think and understand the words they were spoken, then they were not like beasts he ever hunted before.

"Steady," again Alvar said.

Those yellow lights were getting near. Now they could even hear the sound of their breaths. It was like breath of horses after long running. Hoarse and pressed. If one put their hand in front of the horse's mouth, they could feel how hot the breath was.

Suddenly those lights stopped.

And then Eirikr heard sounds like he never heard before. Howling, hoarse breath, and pain. It was like when dogs had their feeding time, only louder. As if something, somebody were attacking the beasts. And the beasts were fighting back. The trees were shaken, and the yellow lights were moving fast, away from them, instead of coming to them.

The men looked at each other. _What is happening?_ They asked each other. But nobody could give answer.

"Hold your weapons, Men." Alvar said. "Don't lose your guards!"

And they waited.

_*****************_


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Sookie touched the armband with the tip of her finger. "It was Vidarr's helmet, then." she said. "And these armbands? Were they his too?"

Eric kissed her forehead softly. His hand touched her hair playfully. He twisted some of her hair, and slowly let them escaped from his finger. "No. They were gifts from Vic."

"Vic?"

"Victoria. Dona Condesa Maria Guadalupe Alberta Georgina Victoria Marín Suárez Delgado de la Vega."

_Wow, that was a very long name. _Thought Sookie.

"But I called her Vic."

Sookie laughed. "Just like you call Pam. What is her real name, anyway?"

"You have to ask her." Eric said.

Sookie looked at him. She could not believe that Eric was afraid of Pam. Eric, the mighty Svear, Sheriff Area 5, who could ripped off a man with bare hands, was actually afraid of his own makee (she wondered if she could use that word. If there was a maker, then there should be a makee, or?). "I might do." she said.

Eric chuckled.

"What?"

"You ask her, and you will find out why she prefers to be called Pam." he said. "That, if she answers your question at all. But don't tell her that I said that."

Sookie laughed. "You _are_ afraid of Pam."

"No." Eric answered quickly. "I am only avoiding unnecessary arguments."

_Is that how a vampire defined 'afraid'? To be afraid means: To Avoid unnecessary arguments. _Sookie made a mental note. Who knew, may be she could use it one day.

"Who was she, Vic, I meant?"

"She was a Condesa - a countess. The countess I told you before, whom I met in Paris, and gave me the names of Aude's flowers. She was in Paris for medical treatments. Actually, she was one of The Lady-in-waiting of Queen Isabella of Spain. But because of her illness, she was released from her duty. She had been a very good girl, before she met me."

There was a smirk on Erik's face that Sookie never liked. As if he was proud that he had conquered another woman. If he had had a cupboard with glass door, all those women he had once conquered must have been small figures that he could have put in it and displayed them to public.

Sookie sighed. Well, may be not.

Because one thing for sure, Eric might have been many things, but a man who liked boasting about his women, he was certainly not. Since she knew Eric, he never told her about his women. She knew that from time to time Eric _tasted _women (that's the word he used when she asked about Dawn – one of Jason's girlfriends who was murdered with vampire's marks on her neck.), who worked for him, or just visited Fangtasia (It must have been, otherwise what had he done for all this time without women?!). But he never yapped about his 'collection' or 'conquers'. As a matter of fact, Eric seemed to be discreet about it.

May be it was only her feelings. Was she jealous again to somebody who died hundreds of years ago?! What was wrong with her?!

"What do you mean with 'a very good girl'?" Sookie tried to sound neutral, but she knew it was useless. That smirk was gone now, replaced by a smile. A very mocking smile.

"She was pure and innocent, but I corrupted her."

For a moment, Sookie did not know what Eric meant. And then something clicked. Vic was a virgin. And that mocking smile was not for Vic, but for her ...oh, she did not know...stupidity?

"She had a special scent that I liked very much." Eric continued. His voice sounded trailing. "It must have been scent of death that made her blood tasted so intensive."

"You drank her blood?! Knowing that she was dying, and you _sucked_ her?!"

The word _sucked _seemed offending him. There were flickering lights in his eyes. A light that might have cost a life if she had been somebody else. Somehow, Sookie regretted it. She should have been more careful.

"She wanted me to. She wanted that a part of hers became a part of me. Which it is." Eric looked at Sookie. The flickering lights were still there, but not that obvious anymore. "Just like yours. It will always be a part of me."

"Did she taste your blood too?"

"No. I could have healed her if she had done that. But she did not want to."

"She knew that you are a vampire?"

"Yes. I told her."

And then Eric was silent.

Eric must have trusted her very much, or he had loved her....had he?

Sookie wondered what was inside Eric's mind now. He looked so deep in his thought, that she did not even dare to ask him to continue his story about his life when he was a human. But then, she decided to do it.

"Why did the men in your village have to be twenty years old before they were allowed to enter the Göter forest. I mean, if you were married when you were sixteen years old, it is odd that you were not allowed to enter the forest, or to speak in the Long Hall."

For some moment Eric's eyes blinked. Clearly he tried to pull his thoughts back. "We were sometimes married when we were sixteen or even younger. Because people did not get very old at that time. But it did not mean that we had had enough experiences. Especially in battles. And every village had their own rules for their inhabitants.

There were too many young Svears who were killed in that forest. Mostly because they had not been good enough of recognizing the traps that The Göter had laid. At that time I thought it was because The Göter were evil people, worshipers of _Loki. _But later on, when I was turned as a vampire already, and went there, I found out, many traps were used to trap animals. Boars, deers, elks, and not The Svears."

"Who was _Loki?_"

"A very treacherous god. He was the god of fire, the father of _Hel, _the goddess of death, and of Fenrir, the giant wolf..."

_If only I had paid more attention to my Sunday School lessons._ Thought Sookie. _And not listening to the Preacher complaining in his head how boring his days were or hoping that he would not have to eat that awful bean soup made by his wife, I would have remembered the names of all the prophets and people from the Bible._

"...but then, The Göter's did not share the same Gods with The Svears."

"And why did you have to be twenty to be able to speak in The Long Hall?"

"If one was not married yet, then they had to reach their twenty winters before they were allowed to speak in the Long Hall. Why? I did not remember."

"And did you fight the beasts? They were obviously werewolves." Sookie said. Alcide's face, the only werewolf she knew until now, flashed in front of her eyes. A dark, tall, handsome werewolf. A very nice gentleman, until he lost control and turned into werewolf. If everything had gone differently, Alcide and she could have been more than just friends. Quickly, she tossed that thought. She did not want that Eric felt what she felt. "And who attacked the werewolves?"

"I did not know. And I never found out. By the time I was a vampire, and went to that forest, the pack was gone. No single traces of them. But it was the scariest night I've ever had. And if I think about it, I still have a terrible angst. I thought, now that I was a vampire, I could be free from fear that came from my past. But I was wrong. Even as I am telling you now, I could not get rid off that feeling."

_***************_


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

The night seemed so long. The darkness was all over them, and did not seem to go away. The wood was slowly eaten by the fire, and bit by bit gone. The fire itself was going smaller and smaller.

"Somebody has to make the fire." Gunnarr whispered. "We will be in complete darkness when the fire is gone. We will be an easy prey for them."

But nobody moved or wanted to break the circle. Nobody wanted to challenge Alvar's words.

The sound of the beasts could not be heard anymore. The yellow lights could not be seen. The trees stood still. But The Svears were still on their positions. No sword was lowered, no shield was down.

Eirikr did not know how long they were standing like that. All he knew, his hands started to get painful, his muscles were getting hard, as if blood stopped running, and they could not hold his sword much longer. If he had to swing it, he was not sure if he could do it. His legs were shaken. If there was wind blowing, he would have fallen easily.

"Alright, Men." Alvar finally said to his relief. "Low your swords, but keep keen. And make the fire bigger."

Eirikr sheathed his sword. Without being able to hold himself anymore, he fell to the ground. "What was that?"

Gunnarr shook his head. His face was pale. His shaken hands seemed not to be able to find the opening place of his sheath. Finally he threw his sword on the ground, and sat beside Eirikr. "I felt like _Hel_ was coming to this place, and brought her brother with her."

Some wood was tossed in the fire. Slowly the fire was getting bigger, and the place was brighter.

Eirikr could see how alert the men were. Every small nice made them turned around and grabbed the gilts of their swords. Even the sound of the wood eaten by the fire.

"Where is Hamr?" one of the men asked.

Everybody was turning around, searching for Hamr, but he was not there.

"Had he left us? Run to the wood to be with his brothers?"

"His brothers?" Egill was confused.

"He believed that he could shift his shape. Perhaps, when he heard the sound of the beast, he could not resist himself but to be with him. Had he not said when the moon is full, he could not help himself but shift his shape?"

Eirikr was waiting for laughs. From anybody, even from Egill. But there was no sound of laughs. Not even 'yeah'. Everybody looked at each other. In their eyes, Eirikr could see, that they did not know the answer.

"I believe Hólmgeirr had his reason not to be here. Or to my sword he shall answer the questions." said Birgir. The Protector of the South's face was as red as his hair. It was clear for everybody to see that he was raging.

To leave the brothers in the battles because of cowardice would be punished by death, that was the law of Svears, and every Svear held that law highly.

"Good men of Erlingsäng, and my brother Egill. Have some rest." said Alvar. "Hólmgeirr's matter will be dealt when his time comes. We should take turn to guard this place. Arnbiorn, Ǻke, Dagr, Ǻsbjörn, take the first turn. The rest of you, sleep. But be keen."

Eirikr laid down, and tried to close his eyes. But he could not get rid the sounds of the beasts and the sense that somebody was watching him out of his head. What were those beasts, and what if there was really something out there, watching him. And why him?

The place was becoming quiet. Only the sound of the fire eating the wood filled the surrounding. From the corner of his eyes, Eirikr could see Alvar was talking to Birgir. From time to time he looked at him, and then turned his eyes away.

What was Alvar talking about? Was it about him? He wanted to ask him, but the weariness and the tiredness came and swept him away. Sooner than he thought, the place was getting darker, and he did not remember anything anymore.

"Eirikr, wake up!"

Quickly, Eirikr woke up, and grabbed the gilt of his sword. But it was Gunnarr.

It was the following morning already. The fire was still burning. Instead of swords, the men held their drinking horns.

Gunnarr gave him one of them. "Drink it." he said. "It is warm _kvanne_ water mixed with honey. It will give you strength for the next journey."

_Kvanne_ was a plant which grew everywhere near by the river bank. They used almost part of it. Its root they ate, the long bright green stem as a decoration, or if they put hole on it, the children could make music with it, and its pointed leaves they used for cooking or as herbs.

"How long do we still have to walk?" Eirkr sat.

"A day. If we walk steady and fast, we will reach the gate at the sun set."

"I need a bath." Eirikr said. He sniffed his clad. "I smell like I have been sleeping at a barn full of goats and elks."

"And you need to comb your hair too, young Eirikr." Arnbiorn said. "After all the food you spitted when you were on the ship, it's hard to differ if that yellow colour is the colour of your hair or your food."

"Not mentioning the smell of it!"

The men laughed. Eirikr felt his face was hot.

"But do not worry." Arnbiorn continued. "The colour of your hair is as bright as the rye in the early summer. Many women like that colour. You will have difficulty to get rid of those women. Mind my words."

"Had you seen Vidarr's woman, Arnbiorn?"

"Yes."

"And what did you see in her?"

Arnbiorn drank empty his drink, and slipped the horn under his belt. "It is not my eyes to see what's in Vidarr's woman. As he was my leader, I should put my tongue at its place when it comes to his choices of his pleasure. Come, young Eirikr. Finish your drink. We shall be ready!"

Eirikr drank his sweet _kvanne_ water. The warmth and the sweetness crept inside his body, and brought him new power. Rose to his feet, Eirikr could see now, that the place where he had slept last night was rough soil surrounded by trees. The air was as thick as yesterday, but the sunlight was somehow able to go through the small space between the leaves, and touch the ground like pillar of lights. The smoke from the fire went up to above, straight like the trees, and only moved like a snake dancing on the ground when the wind touched it.

Strange, he did not hear any birds singing. In Erlingsäng, when the sun could be seen among the trees, then the birds from the forest would sing and spread their wings. Searching for old leaves and small branches to build their nests, or what the children hated more, picking the ripe berries with their beaks.

The sound of steps came from the forest made Eirikr jumped. But it was only Dagr and Försten.

"We did not find any carcasses, Alvar." said Försten. "But we did saw something that we have never seen in many winters. Trees in ten of paces were tumbled down, ripped off from their roots, blood on the ground, on the trees, soil was turned upside down, as if there was a horde of horses galloping. But there was no traces of beasts. We did not see neither their claws, nor their head. And we saw bodies of men. Naked men neither with clad nor armour. Their bodies were broken, torn apart and eaten."

"Naked men? What curse had fallen upon them that brought them to such a shame?! How could their heirs bury them and send their prayers?"

"Had you seen Olaf, good Försten?"

"I do not know if it is a bless or a curse, but we do not see Olaf or Hamr."

"This forest is full of treacheries like I have never witnessed in my life." said Alvar.

"Had we listened to wise words of Linnéa, then we would be spared from this treacheries." the men murmured.

"Indeed we could return to our ship and sail back to bring the ill-news to our brothers." said Alvar. "But do we or do we not have enough love and honour that we will leave our brother, the one we claim to love and will be followed to the Death, alone? Had Vidarr or had he not had the righteous to receive a festive farewell, he who brought glory, gold, silver and many thralls to us? Had we all not listened to Sigurdr's words, that we should strengthen the brotherhood between Erlingsäng and Torkelfors by the bonds of their sons and daughters, like our fathers before us?"

The men did not answer.

"I say, we finish our journey. We take young Eirikr to Torkelfors and let him fulfill his duty. Then we hunt the beasts and make sure they will never touch the soil Torkelfors anymore! What say you, Men of Erlingsäng?"

"I say 'aye' to that." Arnbiorn raised his spear.

"Aye!"

"And then we hunt the Göter, and make them pay their debts!"

The men roared. "Aye!!!"

"And what we will do with them?" Gunnarr pointed the bodies of the Göter who laid on the ground.

"Let them rot!" answered Egill.

"No." said Alvar. "We will bury them, like what we will do to the poor men in the forest. For they had helped us with their last breaths. Svear should not be ungrateful. Mercy should be returned with mercy. But now, we continue. Later, we return to give them proper burial."

The journey this time seemed faster for Eirikr. Neither the men nor he were willing to stay in the forest too long. Nobody wanted to admit it, but each of them knew, the faster they left the forest, the better it would be.

The ground was less and less rough as they were approaching the land of Torkelfors. The trees were less, and the air was not so heavy for them. The men could move swifter than before, and as the sound of birds was heard, their faces were also less tensed.

"Oh my beloved land." Eirikr heard Egill said. "How I missed your fresh ground, and your sweet water!"

Eirikr walked faster to be by his side. "Do tell, good Egill. How is your land?"

"It spreads beside Vänern, vast land blessed by Sif, fertile and green. On the South and on the West we are surrounded by the forest. On the East is the beautiful Vänern, and on the North is big meadow where we have our farm. The soil is so rich that every summer we are blessed with abundance of rye, apples, and wheat. Our kettle are strong and fat they give us milk and meat without end. We always have good trade with anybody who come to the heaven. Our goods is well known through out the land, and our words are as worthy as gold. Our children are big and strong, clever and brave! There is no land like Torkelfors. You will see it with your own eyes, young Eirikr. And you will understand, the love that Vidarr gave to his new land."

Suddenly, the air was getting heavier for Eirikr. Heavier and drier.

Vidarr had been so dear to every men of Erlingsäng and Torkelfors. His sword had been raised many a time with them and his strength had been well known. They spoke his name and his deeds with warmth and love in their words. Eirikr remembered, when Vidarr had been still among the people of Erlingsäng how he had brought laughter among the men around the fire. And how the women ran to him every time he returned from sailing with others. In his hand had been always goods, gold, silver or glasses, beautiful colourful glasses from foreign lands. Gifts from Vidarr had always been kingly gifts. And when he had been on land and plowed the soil, then the soil would have been turned over like a giant had turned it over.

But he was not Vidarr. He was Eirikr, the second son of Magnus, with no knowledge of battle or land. Last night, which could have been his very first fight, he had faced with shaken hands and week feet.

A tapped on his shoulder made him turned around. Gunnarr. His face was pale, and the sweat running down from his hair. But he was smiling. "Soon you will be a man of your own, Eirikr." he said.

"How do you know what inside my head, Gunnarr? Had I not known you, I would have thought you were son of a forest creature of some kind, who could walk inside my dream."

"Son of a forest creature? Indeed, my mother is unknown, but my father is not. Were a sick man son of such a creature, then doomed would be the forest." then he laughed. "Soon you will say that my hand would shine a light and on my back, I have wings to fly, like a fairy."

Eirikr looked at Gunnarr. True, that Gunnarr's mother was unknown. People said, one day Alvar returned from one of his trading journey with a boy in his arm. He said, the boy was his son. But he never told a soul who his woman was. She must have been a woman from a foreign land. For Gunnarr did not have red or golden hair like others, but dark brown hair and hazel eyes, instead of blue.

But what was a fairy?

"Then how did you know what was inside my heart?"

"Your face has revealed your secrets, my friend."

Did it? Eirikr sighed. Perhaps. Gunnarr knew him long enough to understand the meaning of the signs that his face had made.

"Gunnarr, what is a fairy?"

"My father once told me, that somebody from a foreign land, far on the island beyond the mountains and sees, told him a story about creatures who dwell in the forest among the elves and the dwarves, and build their houses in the old old trees. Bare eyes will not see them in the day, but during the night, when they dance and sing under the moon, we can see them shining brighter than the lamps. Their bodies are covered with colourful glimmering dust, and anybody who is touched by dust will walk under their spell."

"And they have wings?"

"Just like butterfly. Pray, tell me. Do I shimmer under the moon, or carry wings behind my back?" Gunnarr's eyes were twinkling.

Eirikr smiled. "Of course not."

"So my friend." Gunnar tapped his back. "I am Gunnarr son of Alvar, and not a forest creature of some kind. And you are worried too much."

Perhaps Gunnarr was right. He was worried too much.

The steps that the men made were getting swifter and lighter. As the trees were not so closed anymore, the air was not that thick either. And as they were farther and farther away from the place where they witnessed the perils, their feelings were also lighter. They started making jokes again, and soon laughter was heard among them.

They stopped once for rest, and then they continued the walks.

The darkness covered the way, when the men reached the red gate made of wood. The light from the moon that hung low above the trees helped only a little for them to see clearly. The torches were on every side of the gate, and some paces away on each side of the gate was towers, from where there was a shout:

"The men of Erlingsäng have arrived!!!"

The heavy gate was opened. Two men pushed each of the door aside, and then one of them ran to Egill.

"Egill, do you come back alone? Where is Olaf?"

"I tell the tale when I see Arnvidr." Egill said. "Brothers, behold the men of Erlingsäng. Sigurdr has sent us some of his best men."

"And among these mighty brothers, who is the brother of Vidarr?"

Egill moved his head to Eirikr's direction.

That man looked at Eirikr from the head to the feet, and back again to the head. "Fair and tall indeed he is. And yet so few winters that he has!"

Egill patted his shoulder. "Come brothers, Arnvidr must have been waiting for us."

"Good Egill and good Alvar,." said Eirikr. "If it would not be such a burden, I would like to bath myself before I meet Arnvidr. As my respect to the father of my future woman, and to the people of Torkelfors."

The guard looked at him. "What had happened to him?"

"It was his first journey." answered Egill.

"Poor Torkelfors, and poor Arnvidr!"

"And yet he stood his ground when the perils came." said Egill. "And such light feet he has. He will be a good hunter when his time comes! Good Alvar, perhaps it will be better if Magnus' son and your son bath themselves before they entered the Long Hall of Torkelfors."

"If good men of Torkelfors can show them the way to bath, then they shall be gone." answered Alvar.

The guard called a name, and a boy came running. He then took Eirikr and Gunnarr to the bathing place.

For a moment Eirikr thought that Gunnarr and he would be taken to a bathing house, but no, they were brought to the lake.

"Is this Lake Vänern or my eyes are blinded by the light of the moon?" asked Gunnarr.

"Yes, this is Lake Vänern. You will behold her beauty when the sun comes out tomorrow, Stranger."

Lake Vänern, the heart of life of every Svears was now in front of his eyes. The Lake that told many stories and songs, and its water gave so many lives to the Svears.

The soft light of the moon touched the surface of the water, gave its pale lights. The water was shimmering in the darkness. The trees around it were standing still like a horde of giants and giantess watched over its beauty.

Then soft sweet smell reached Eirikr's nose. A kind of smell he never knew before.

"Do tell, Boy. What is this smell? Does Lake Vänern spread not only her beauty but also such a sweet smell?"

"It is but the smell of Aude's garden."

"Aude? Was she or was she not the woman of Vidarr?"

"Yes, she was."

Eirikr looked around, but it was only darkness that he saw. Was Vidarr's house some paces away from where he was standing right now? For the smell was so closed, filled his chest with peace. As if he had reached...home. The smell was as strong as the smell of his mother's bread, different, but at the same time the same. Ah, his head was full with words, and yet his mouth could not speak them.

"Come, Eirikr. Let's taste the sweetness of Vänern." Gunnar put down his shield, and opened his buckle. "I thought I was going to meet Odin when we were on the boat, and now, I will touch the sweetness of Vänern!

What a fool woman Linnéa was. For she would never understand how life would be beyond the meadow of Erlingsäng!"

Gunnarr said to the boy. "Go, and fetch us some soap and clean clad, Boy!"

Eirikr followed Gunnarr. He undressed himself and then jumped to the lake. Oh, there was no other joy then being touched by fresh sweet water of Vänern. Her flow caressed all of his tired muscle and bones. Like having soft hands, that gave him touch of his mother on his shoulder at the end of hard day of planting rye her flow washed away all his fear and weary.

The boy returned with soap and clean clad which he put on the grass beside the water. And then he left them.

Gunnarr swam around, and then like talking to somebody who was not there, he started singing.

_I heard a distant whispering wind_

_It must be a bird of some kind_

_How long was it _

_Since the first time I heard your voice?_

_It must be some numbers of days_

_I saw a ray of sunlight_

_It went through my head_

_How long was it_

_Since the first time I saw your eyes?_

_It must be way back behind_

_I felt the wind touched my skin_

_Is it the same wind that blew your hair_

_In the deem light of ray_

_when you came to my dream_

_and bid me the last pray_

There was a sadness in his voice, a sadness that could not be spoken but only in songs and poems.

Who was Gunnarr talking to? Who was 'you' in his song? A woman somewhere in a place he could not reach, or was it his mother?

"I am hungry." Gunnarr said. "I have enough bath, now." he went out of the water. "Will you come, Eirikr?"

"No, I want to be here for a while."

"Make sure you find the way to the Long Hall." he put on the clad. Singing, he walked away, leaving Eirikr alone in the water.

Ah, Gunnarr. A man of words, people said. He could go on and on talking, if nobody stopped him. A man of song, for he had a good voice and enjoyed songs and dancing.

Like a fish in the water, Eirikr swam around. He wanted to go a little bit further to the middle, but quickly he changed his mind. The water was as sweet as it was tempting, he'd better be careful, for he did not know what kind of beasts which might live inside the water.

Eirikr dived for once more, washed carefully his hair, and decided to finish his bath, and ran after Gunnarr. Slowly the water was too cold for him.

He was walking to the bank, when he heard steps. He turned around, and there she was. A small figure glimmering under the moon light. Her long white gown was blown by the wind. Her red hair was open, flowing in the air, glowing like red stone on a ring. Her skin was as pale as her white gown. In her hand were yellow and purple flowers which she held loosely.

She saw him too. Standing beside the Lake Vänern, watching every moves she made. Wet and showing every part of his body.

Eirikr saw how her eyes caressing his body, but he did not care. Nothing else mattered, but the way she moved, and how the wind played with her hair. He did not want to lose her figure, her shadow. Who was she? Was she like what Gunnarr said, a fairy? For now he was under the spell that came from her gaze. Or was she one of the Asyna, Frejya herself, down from island of Asgard, greeting him? If she was, he would nothing but be glad to follow her to Asgard.

Suddenly she moved away. Ran into the darkness, and let her flowers fall by doing it.

"Wait!" Eirikr called, but her figure was swallowed by the darkness. And before he ran after her, he heard Gunnarr's voice,

"Eirikr! Arnvard is....good gracious, Eirikr, what has come into you?"

Eirikr turned around. Gunnarr was standing not so far from him in red clad. He looked down to his legs.

"What?" Eirikr looked down to his legs following Gunnarr's eyes. His penis was like a sword which was drawn from its sheath, standing and hard.

"Odin had blessed some men, and some other men he blesses plenty more." Gunnarr threw the clad at him. "Whomever you have seen Eirikr, that woman is indeed a blessed one!"

Eirikr put the clad on. His eyes wandered in the darkness tried to find a glimpse of white light. But to his vain, he did not see anything.

"Come, Eirikr. Everybody is waiting for you."

Eirikr put the buckle on, and then with heavy heart he followed Gunnarr.

The moon was now high above at the sky, brightening the meadow, and making the small road to The Long Hall clearly. Somewhere deep in the forest, a beast howled to the moon. His sound was long as if he was in deep grief.

And somehow Eirikr knew, he would never like that sound, or the owner of that sound.

***********


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The Long Hall of Torkelfors. On its earlier days it must have been a merry place. Red and white silk draperies with pictures of circles on them, tied together with a red ribbons, were hung on its walls. Not like the Long Hall of Erlingsäng, it had windows. On its corners, two spears and a shield stood proudly, welcomed any guests who entered. A big fire place was in the middle of the room. It did not only brighten the place, but also gave warmth to each corners.

But the faces of the people in the Hall were faces of mourning. Some old men clad in red, with spears and in their hands, stood silently. The women and some children were sitting on the benches. There were no smile or words of welcome.

The men of Erlingsäng themselves were nowhere to be seen, except Alvar and Birgir. They were sitting to the left and to the right of a man. Arnvidr of Torkelfors. A tall big man, with hair red as fire, and eyes blue as the sky. His hair was plaited on each side, his beard was thick but trimmed. On his chest hung two silver pendants with shape of anchor.

Eirikr thought Gunnar's and his steps would have been followed by pair of curious eyes. But he was wrong. The people in the Long Hall did not even seem to realize that he was there. Their faces were hung by the sadness, and their eyes were blurred by the tears.

Arnvidr gave him a sign to come near.

Eirikr went to him.

"Eirikr son of Magnus." he said. His voice was deep and low, almost like a whisper.

"Yes."

Arnvidr's blue eyes looked deep into his eyes and went straight to the back of his head, or at least that's how Eirikr felt. He did not look at him from the head to the toes, like many others, but fixed at his eyes. As if Arnvidr wanted to know what was inside his head. And it made him shivered.

""Do you know why you are here?"

Eirikr wanted to answer with yes. He came here to fill Vidarr's place in the Long Hall, in his house, on his bed. But now, he was not sure anymore. He was not sure if he could bring back laughter and smile on those faces, he was also not sure if he could stand proudly beside Arnvidr, now that he was in front of him and started to understand, why Egill and Olaf spoke about Arnvidr with love in their words, and after he had seen her – whoever that woman was, he was not sure if he could fill Vidarr's place on his bed.

"No." finally he said. And he felt miserable.

To his surprise, a smile appeared on Arnvidr's face.

"Are your words always the same like the words in your heart?"

"Yes...no...I don't know."

Arnvidr's eyebrows were lifted.

"I mean, I try to." Eirikr said miserably. Why did Gunnarr not say any word? Should he not be his mouth? Gunnarr would easily find the right words to say.

"How many winters had you seen, Magnus' son?"

"I remember seeing thirteen winters." Eirikr said. "But my mother said, I have seen sixteen winters. And this winter will be my seventeenth."

Eirikr expected "so few winters" came out of Arnvidr's mouth. But that man did not say anything. Now he searched Eirikr with his eyes. Watched Eirikr's hair which was wet and uncombed, went down to his red clad, his sword and dagger, and then his leg. As if he wanted to know if Eirikr would be worth enough to continue his line or not.

Eirikr stared him back. This time, he knew, that there would be no foul thought about his body. His tall figure was one among the tallest in Erlingsäng. He could run fast, and climb like a lynx. If what Airnbiorn said was true, then the colour of his hair would become an envy for many. He might not have many flesh like most of the men, but he would. In some winters, he would just like the others.

"Good Alvar and Birgir had given me shields and swords from Sigurdr and Magnus as your gifts to my house." Arnvidr said. " And I accepted the gifts. In this tiding days, there will be no other more valuable gift to a house, but shields and swords. And my house gave you also a sword and a shield as my respect to your father. Alvar and Birgir accepted them.

Therefore, I give you my daughter as your woman. And the day after we speak our farewells to Vidarr, is the day you enter Vidarr's house."

Arnvidr gave him his hand.

Eirikr took Arnvidr's hand.

"Then shall this bond only be separated by death." Arnvidr rose from his thorn. Arnvidr was a head shorter than he was, but Eirikr felt so small in front of him. The proudness of his body was gone. There was something about this man that could fill up the whole room. May be it was his big figure, or the way he moved which was slowly but like a big bird at the sky, he did not need much to make everybody turn around and look at him, but if there was a king who would rule this land, just like what Linnéa the völva said, then he should be like Arnvidr.

"People of Torkelfors. Behold the future man of the house of Arnvidr!" he said.

Eirikr heard some of the people said 'yes', and saw some of the them nodded. And yet, in his ears those sound of approval was a mere whisper. Like something that came from somewhere far away, and hardly loud enough for him to hear it.

Arnvidr let Eirikr's hand go. "Then he shall prove himself by guarding his new land!" he said.

Eirikr took some steps backward, and then nodded. In his way out, he said to Gunnarr. "Thank you for help."

"What shall I say?" Gunnarr answered. "You gave Arnvidr the correct answer."

"But I chose you as my mouth. You should have known when I needed a help."

"And sometimes a mouth has to know when to shut."

Eirikr looked at him. He wondered what happened when Gunnarr could not find any word anymore.

"Come, the men are waiting for us!"

The night was slowly moving to the morning. The moon was not that high anymore. The cold dew fell upon the grass, made the men of Torkelfors tight up their cloaks.

Eirkir had taken his turn with Arnbiorn and Hjálmarr.

They made patrol around the wooden wall. Even there was not so much too see, because the lamps were lighted low, Eirikr could smell the rest of burning wood. Both men did not say much, except tell him the importance to guard the front gate, and the the parts which faced the wood, because that's where The Göter had come from the last time. They also needed to guard the part near by the lake, but not so heavy as the other part. The lake would protect them. It was big and deep enough for any man to cross it. If they still enjoyed food and wine, they would think many times before they did it. Besides, it was too open and too weak. Anybody could see any movement from the lake.

Now he was on the north tower.

"You have to learn to use your eyes, Eirikr." said Arnbiorn. "And the towers are the best place to start."

From above, indeed he could see better. The moon light helped his eyes by giving some lights on some places which he could not see, when he was on the ground. But there was not so many thing happened. It was quiet out there, except for the beast which did not stop howling. The forest in front of him looked like one big shadow standing, waiting for their time to move and swallow anything which was on its way. Meanwhile beneath, deep inside, there were perils waiting for anybody who did not watch where their steps were taking them.

"I never heard a beast that howls like that one." Sören, his companion said. "Do tell, good Eirikr. Did you have any chance to see the beasts in the forest?"

"No."

"Alas." he said. "This is my true word, I would rather face the beasts and slain them now, then to have fear they might attack my woman and children, and turned them into madness like what happened to Olaf son or Orvar."

"Yes, alas that we had not seen them." Eirikr said.

"Such tiding days we have." Sören continued. "All happened almost on the same time. The raids from The Göter, and then from those beasts. We never heard such stories. Torkelfors was never a peaceful place, where her sons and daughters could have feasts days after days, it is true. We never expect that much from a land that is so pretty. Nevertheless, our enemies are with banners and faces. We could raise our swords and go to their lands to pay the debts. And now, beasts roam on our land, to whom we shall answer and raise our swords, if we can not see their banners, let alone their faces?"

"And on the North lay my people. Yet, I am here, far from my father and my mother. Who shall protect my mother, if her only living son is not around her?"

"You are here now, young Eirikr. You have your own woman who will need your sword. Your mother has her own man to protect her."

A woman whom he never saw.

The sun was rising from the East. The darkness was slowly lifted up. The sky was changing from black to red and yellow.

Eirikr spread his sight, and what he saw was not a pretty sight. Down on the meadow, where white houses of Torkelfors used to stand proudly, now was only ruin. Here and there, laid black and broken wood. Some ground had even only rumbles and ashes. The Long Hall of Torkelfors which last night looked mighty, from outside was nothing but half of an almost broken ruin.

Torkelfors' people built their houses in different fashion from people of Erlingsäng. They used wooden poles to hold the roof. The roofs were also made from wood. The walls were from wattle which covered with white colour. Meanwhile in Erlingsäng, they used turf as the wall, and a thatched roof. But they took the shape of ship, just like in Erlingsäng.

"After we say our farewell to Vidarr, we will have a lot of works to do, young Eirikr." said Sören. "But we will cope. Yes, we will cope."

"Good Sören, where has Vidarr been laid?"

"Not so far from his house." Sören answered. "In a ship, over there." he pointed to the East.

Eirikr followed the direction. There was a ship about 20 paces from a house near by the lake. Behind the house was a meadow covered with flowers. Yellow, purple, red, and white. It was not common to have such a land covered with flowers. Normally they were covered with plants of rye, wheat or other plants to make bread.

"Had Vidarr no land covered with rye?" Eirikr asked.

"Indeed he did. That land belongs to Aude. And Vidarr loved his woman much too much that he allowed her to do such a foolish thing, like planting flowers, which nobody can eat!"

Suddenly the door of the house was open. And a woman came out.

The light might not have showed her face, but her moves told Eirikr who she was. It was her, the woman he saw last night. If there was somebody who could move like she was walking on air, than it would be her. His heart raced like a deer running for its life.

"Sören, who is that woman?" he pointed at her.

"It is Aude daughter of Arnvidr."

"My future woman." Eirikr said.

"Yes. Soon she will be your woman." Sören said. Clearly there was a displeasure in his voice.

But Eirikr cared less. Because he did not why, but everything suddenly was lighter. He had met his woman, and oh yes, she pleased him. Aude, his future woman. It might not be the right time in such a tiding time, but he could not help but to smile. And if he could, he would jump from the tower and run to her, _now_.

Sören shook his head. "I don't know what has came into you, both of you, Magnus' sons. But that woman certainly had put a spell on both of you. Were she my woman, I had already traded her with some thralls."

"Had Vidarr kept no thrall for himself?"

"Yes. But he did not want to replace her with any other woman, even when Arnvidr asked him too."

_I would certainly not_. Eirikr thought.

"Sören, Eirikr!"

Somebody shouted from below.

Sören bent over. Two men were standing under the tower. "Come, Eirikr." he said. "Our replacements had come."

Both of them went down.

"Use your time well, young Eirikr." Sören said. "Any men will be needed to built the houses. Sleep well, and later when the sun is bright enough, we will start."

Eirikr nodded, and then he ran. He wanted to see her again. This time, he wanted to hear her voice.

"What has come into him?" he heard somebody said.

Eirikr did not wait around to hear what Sören had to say. He also did not stop to answer greetings from the women who started their days, or the men who returned from their posts to sleep. He wanted to see her, and he wanted to see her _now_. He wanted to see in the clear light of the day, that the woman he had seen last night was not a forest creature – a fairy, just like what Gunnarr called, or a _Draugar – _a spirit, a walking dead who wanted to blind and trick his eyes.

The sweet smell that came from the flowers told him where he was. He stopped running, and tried to catch his breath. His heart beat like mad. Not only from running, but also from his thought. Now that he was standing only some steps away from the house, what would he say, if he saw her?

A figure came out of the house. For a moment Eirikr felt his heart stop beating. But to his relief, it was not Aude. It was a woman with black hair. And seeing her simple clad, she must have been one of the thrall.

She stared at him. "Young Master?"

What should he say now?

"Are you Young Master Eirik?"

How did she know his name?

"Master Aude is picking up flowers for Master Vidarr. She is in the garden."

Eirikr left without saying a word.

Now that he saw the garden closely, he could not say anything but agree with Vidarr. This garden was more beautiful than any gold or silver he ever saw. The flowers were like fountain of colours, each and every colours were so bright, woven around, like yarn woven for cloth. They were like palette of colours at the sky after heavy rain, some kind of a bridge of colours which was laid down for the _Asyniur_ – the goddesses, to walk down to the land.

Suddenly, some rows of flowers were split. And there she was, with a basket of flowers in her arms. Just like last night, her dark red hair was glowing. And her face was as pale as morning in the early winter. But there was something in her deep green eyes, something that made the pleasure of seeing her and knowing her disappeared. Instead of joy, he felt hollow. There was a look that searched for somebody, but not him.

"It's you." she said. Her voice was husky, like a voice of a woman who cried too much. Had she cried too much?

"Yes, it's me." Eirikr said.

She came to him. "Who are you?"

"Eirikr, son of Magnus, Protector of Erlingsäng." he said. He used to say it with clear sound of pride. But now, seeing her smile, a smile so frantic that made that pale face paler, he was not sure anymore.

"You are Vid..." she fell to the ground without finishing her sentence. Eirikr caught her body right before it touched the ground. A body, so delicate, like a body of a young fawn, trembled in his arms. Her basket rolled down, spilled the flowers all over her feet.

"Oh my lover," Eirikr said. The word came just out of his mouth, without him being able to stop it. It was more fear than his head that told him what to say. A fear, that he might not be able to take the place of Vidarr, seeing how his name was so dear to her.

Why did he have to think about Vidarr _now_?! What did he know about his brother, except shadow of his past, that he had to think very hard to remember. Was that shadow was the one he really saw, or was it a shadow from the stories that he heard around the fire?

She opened her eyes. Tears ran down from her eyes rolling down on her cheek.

Eirikr touched the tears with his lips. Salty, but her cheek was smooth, as smooth as the lynx fur.

She pushed him away, but Eirikr did not move. "What have I done, that _Brigindo_ played such a trick to me?"

Eirikr did not know who _Brigindo _was, but if he ever saw her or him, he would like to change some words. He was surely not a trick. And he wanted her to see his face, since his body she had already seen. "Have I not pleased your eyes?"

"My eyes have been blind since the first day I saw Vidarr." she pushed him again, and this time Eirikr let her go.

_Vidarr. It is always Vidarr. _He thought. _And I am not him._

She stood up, cleaned up the dirt on her white gown, and said. " Go." she said, like saying to a _thrall._ "I am not your woman, and until I am yours, I have no will to see you."

Eirikr stood up. The emptiness in his chest was now filled with anger. _You are mine._ He thought. _And I want what's mine. _

He looked at her, and raised his face. He wanted to take her by the hand and pull her closed to him, and say "You are mine", like when the men returned from their journey and brought goods and the children were allowed to take what pleased them, as he saw her pale face changed into reddish. Not as red as her hair or as Birgir's face when he was angry, but red. It reminded him to apples in the middle of Summer, when they changed their colour from yellow into red. He wondered if her cheeks would taste as sweet as apples. That very thought brought a smile on his face. Because if they were, then they would be the sweetest apples he would ever taste.

"Whatever pleases you, Eirikr son of Magnus. Believe me when I say this, it will not be as easy as you want it!"

She lifted her gown, showing her legs which were as delicate as her body, and then stormed away.

Eirikr stood there, watching her body moving away. Now he understood what Hallsteinn meant when he said about Nenna's hip. How it moved like birds spreading their wings and floating on the air carried by the wind. Aude's hip was not as big as Nenna's, and yet the way she moved, not even the wings of an eagle could be compared with it, for it was as beautiful as an eagle, and as soft as the fur of a white lynx.

Eirikr looked up at the sky. The sun was not yet climbing, and some dark clouds were seen far on the South, but he felt light, as light as dry seed carried by the wind.

**********************


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

"Apples?! You actually compared her cheeks with apples?!" Sookie was taken back. If romanticism was a disease, then Eric would be the cure against it. How could he compare a woman's cheeks with apples?! Compared them with the moon, diamonds, ruby, even the sun, but not apples!

Eric was standing beside the window, looking at the moon. His back faced Sookie like a back of marmor statue she saw on television. White and chiseled. His blond hair was played by the wind, like seed of dandelion flowers floating on the air.

He had released her from his arms sometimes ago. She became too heavy, he said. What a joke, Sookie said. She, heavy? Never. But she let him go and now he was there, watching the moon, instead of having her in his arms.

If Sookie ever hated for being not able to read somebody's thought, then it would be when she was with Eric. With Bill it was easier. She could not read what Bill thought either, but at least she could guess, or predict what he would do. Bill was plain to see. But Eric? First he would be nice, warm, all smiley like a long lost friend, then the next thing she knew, he would be all business-like, and then changed again like he was the last thug on the street.

Sookie got up, and then walked toward him. But some steps before she reached him, he turned around. There was a smile on his face.

"Apples...my favorite fruits, beside the blueberries, and lingonberries." he said. "Did you ever eat lingonberries?"

"What is that?"

"Some kind of berries, the most beloved berries in Sweden. You should buy and try it. If you can't buy it here, order it via Internet. On my cost."

"May be I'll do."

"My mother used to smash them, boil them, and then put a lot of honey in it. I loved to eat it, just like that. Put my fingers inside the jug, and lick them. My mother used to chase me away from lingonberries jugs. She said, I should take a bowl or a bread, and not put my fingers inside. And crayfish. I loved crayfish."

"Eww." Sookie answered. "I don't like them. They are creepy. It's like I am looking at..eh...I don't know. Spiders or scorpions. And I hate spiders!"

"You should eat them. For me. Then you can tell me how it tastes."

His sentence made Sookie feel sorry for him. As a vampire, he could not eat food or drink any beverage. He must have missed them, apples and crayfish, and other food. She touched his lips. Blood. Those lips and mouth could only touch and swallow blood.

Eric kissed her fingers, and then softly licked them.

Like fire which was spilled with gasoline, Sookie felt something hot crawling on her body. She jumped to climb on his body, and then grabbed his hips with her leg. Eric caught her with his hands, and pressed her body tight to his.

Sookie grabbed his head, and kissed him.

Suddenly he chuckled.

"What?!" Sookie released her kiss.

"For somebody who doesn't like crayfish, you got quite hot by hearing the name."

_What?! Argh! It's not crayfish that makes me hot, you idiot!_

With one move, Eric brought her back to the sofa. "All this conversation about food makes me hungry." he said.

"I think we have apples, somewhere." Sookie said. Apples she could eat, at any time.

Eric grabbed her hand, and licked her wrist. His eyes were flickering. This time not because of anger, but because of lust. His fangs were slowly coming out. And before Sookie could say anything, those fangs were buried inside her hand.

Sookie gasped. There was always a strange feeling every time Eric put his fangs inside her body. It was a mixture between feeling of pain, and being aroused. It's like by being sucked, her sensitive points on her body were also touched. If only she knew where her sensitive points actually were, it would be easier. She could say they were two fingers above her knees, on exactly on the part where her legs met the tight . Because with Eric, it seemed like her body had nothing else but sensitive points. Like now, she felt they could have just fucked. Yes, fucked. She did not want to make love or have sex, she just wanted to fuck him. Fast and hard. Straight to the point.

As if Eric could have heard her, he pulled her jeans. With one pull, and the next thing she saw was her jeans flying, somewhere. And not less slow, his own leather trousers were also flying.

Sookie felt his hand crawling under the tunic, and removed her panties.

And then a thought came to her.

_Do I want him now, because I want him to know that I am here, and not Aude or do I really want him? And why does he want me now? Because of my blood, because he wants me, or does he want to forget what happened in the next days, when they buried his brother, his first night with his first woman – it's hard to imagine Eric as a virgin, but heck, everybody was a virgin once, even Eric. Did Aude accept him as her husband, just like that, or did she kick him out of the bed?_

Suddenly Eric stopped touching her, and got up. He looked pissed. "You know, Sookie Stackhouse, if you can not stop thinking, then don't start wanting to have sex with me. Argh, women!!! Thousand years, and not a slightest thing different! I swear I could eat them all alive!"

Sookie was perplexed. Could Eric hear what she thought? "Eric, are you saying that you could hear my thought?"

"No!" he said. "But you are always like a log when you are thinking. Out of this world, gone. I can sense what you feel, remember? And some minutes ago, you were as cold as stone, as if you did not even realized that I was on you, and almost in you." And then he growled. Sookie cringed. That sound reminded her to Alcide, when he was in his wolf form and ready to attack his enemies. The sound which could come from a tiger, or a dog, or a combination of both. It made the hair on the back of her neck standing. She wanted to say sorry, but she knew it was useless. Eric was too emotional. Whether from his feelings of being rejected, or from remembering his past, Sookie was not sure.

Eric moved away from Sookie, and stood at the window. Naked, bent himself to the window panes.

Sookie sighed. That scene – now in front of her eyes, what a temptation. She could have run to him, pulled him and then pushed him to the floor, and took him, at once. He looked like a being which was not from earth. If the story about elves and gods had been real, he could have been the god of love or of beauty! That body was a long slim body, toned with muscles on the shoulder, the ribs, and perfect ass, round and tight like peaches, and long legs, and like legs of horses, they were strong and majestic.

But no, she could not do that. She did not want to make him more enraged. Because she could not convince herself that she would not think about Aude when Eric was all over her. Thinking about it, it's actually strange. She did not know her name until some time ago. She did not even know that she existed. But it seemed, Eric loved that woman. All this time, she thought that _that beast _who's standing there was not capable of loving anybody else but himself. It's quite intriguing to know that he cried over a woman whom he knew or loved, one thousand years ago. What was it that held him so strong like that? True love? His first experience with a woman? Well, Sookie herself was not sure if she could forget her first experience with Bill, but that's another matter. She had 'it' only two years ago.

"I am sorry," finally Sookie said. "I was just....thinking what happened to you back then, you know, your wedding night and stuff."

Eric lifted his head. It was clear that he tried to control himself. His jaws were tensed, and the muscle in his claws which grabbed the window panes could be seen. "I did not sleep with her in our first night." he said, after a while. "Or the second night, or the third night."

"Fourth?"

Eric shook his head.

"What did you do, then?"

He shook his head a little bit , as if he had wanted to get rid off some thoughts. And then, "Snuggled."

So, he had had his _snuggle _habit since ages! Sookie remembered, the first thing that Eric had done when he came to her bed was snuggling, gave her feeling of comfort, before he laid his hands on her body.

"Come here." Sookie said.

He looked at her. "For what?" His mouth was pouted, like the mouth of a little child who did not get what he wanted.

Sookie wanted to laugh. Who would imagine, that a mighty vampire who scared the hell out of human and vampires, would stand at the window panes, sulking. But she did not want to make him angrier. "Come" she said. "You don't want to be naked like that."

"I like being naked." he said.

_Obviously. Otherwise he would not have been standing proudly in front of a stranger like what he had done back then._

"Come." Sookie opened her arms. "I want to know more about your life. And I promise....." before she could finish, suddenly Eric was already in front of her. His nose touched hers.

"Do not promise things you can not keep." he said. "After what you did to me, hung me high and dry like that, you have to do a lot to make it up to be forgiven."

_Thank God, vampires can not stand the sun, and they have to hide themselves somewhere deep in the ground! _Sookie thought. _Otherwise, Eric and I would not leave the bed for a week or two. And I could call in sick, and tell Sam, I have back problems, can not move, or something like that. And still, it would be the truth._

But she touched Eric's hair, and kissed him lightly. "I know. And I am sorry. But you can snuggle me if you want."

Eric snorted, but he climbed up the sofa again. And Sookie made herself comfortable in his arms. She put her legs above his left leg, touching him with her knee, softly.

"Sookie..." he touched her leg. "If you don't have any intention to finish what you are starting, just stop it." he said. And she knew why. Eric was again ready. Not only he became hard, his fangs were also bared.

Sookie stopped moving, and looked at him. She mouthed. _Sorry._ Eric did not react. He was in his sulking mood again.

_Oh, come on!_ Sookie thought. _It's getting ridiculous. _

Sookie touched the pendant. Swallowing her own feeling of dislike, that suddenly came to her, she asked, with a voice as normal as she could possibly make. "What happened then, on your wedding night?"

"I was ignored." he said, annoyed. Slowly his fangs were sinking in. "And I did not know what to do."

*********************


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

The sun was on the opposite of Midnattskulle, a small hill on the North part of Torkelfors, when they gathered around the ship where Vidarr was laid down. The ship was neither big nor high, just enough that they could put Vidarr inside.

In different times, a man like Vidarr would have received a different farewell. They would make three ships, one for the man, one for his gold, silver, and his beloved goods, with them would also food, and the last one would be for his woman or thrall. The ships would be painted and decorated with colour and ornaments that the man would desire.

But Vidarr died in tiding days, where food were almost empty, and goods were too precious to be burnt and buried. His horse had been already killed, and would be buried in a burrow beside Vidarr's so he could accompany his master to Valhalla. In Vidarr's grave, they would put three swords in the Göter fashion, which were straight and double bladed, three daggers, and three spears, the weapon of his last enemies who he had slain so he would not enter Valhalla in shame.

The men and women of Torkelfors put their clothes on that day. Most of them were red, with gold and silver on their chests and hips. The men had daggers slipped under their buckles, and in their hands were swords and spears. Some of the men wore helmets and some let their heads free, but all of them combed and plaited their hairs.

It was like saying their farewells to a king, or how Eirikr imagined how a farewell to a king should be.

Eirikr took a deep breath. He saw that there were not so many women and children anymore. And the numbers of men were also not so many, only a few more from the men of Erlingsäng. Where were they? Were they slaughtered in the raids?

Arnvidr stood in the middle of the circle. He wore red clad, with a robe made of bear skin. Under his buckle was a hammer and a dagger. Meanwhile in his hand was a sword. His chest was covered with nothing, but a necklace with anchor pendant. His red hair was covered with a helmet. Different from the helmet that Eirikr wore, it did not have horns, and it covered his face. Only his eyes and mouth were bared to see.

"Soon, we will light the fire." Arnvidr said. "Those who still have words kept in their hearts, should speak now. Come and say it to Vidarr's ears. He should take his last journey without debt or promises."

One by one went forward to the ship, bowed and whispered their words to Vidarr.

And then Eirikr saw Aude. She walked with her head raised. Her white gown was blown by the wind. She had chain of gold around her neck, and her hip. On each of her wrists was bracelet made of silver connected with red and green stones. Her hair, which was plaited and rolled together on the back of her head were filled with white stones and silver. In her hands were white flowers.

_She walks and dresses like she was going to her wedding._ Thought Eirikr, miserably. _She should not be proud and happy. She should let him go. She should..._

And Eirikr's mind was full with she should do this and she should do that, until he saw her eyes. Those were the eyes of death. He did not see any lights, but water covering those deep green eyes. And her mouth, which was small, was as pale as her face.

Eirikr felt more miserable. She did not want to say her farewell to Vidarr. She wanted to accompany him!

Then their eyes met. For some moment, by Odin, those eyes had some lights! Those eyes were narrow and gave him a look as if she wanted to raise her sword and charge him.

All of sudden, Eirikr felt better. She saw him, and gave him knowledge, that he _was _there. Not only a shadow of a figure. And then he felt more and more miserable because he felt better. His brother died, and he felt nothing but light and joy to have his brother's woman as his, and even could not wait until he was buried.

She turned her head away, and threw her flowers in the ship. She did not say anything to Vidarr, she just turned around and returned to where she was before, stood among the women.

Eirikr waited for some more people to speak their last farewell before he went forward.

Vidarr. He looked so peaceful in his ship. His red hair was spread under his head. There was stain of blood in his face, and on his hands. They did not bath him, so Odin could see that he died in battle. The flowers from Aude was on his feet.

Eirikr took the flowers and put them on his chest.

"Forgive me, Brother." he said. "For I had never a chance to know you. You left me too soon. I don't know why you chose me to continue your line, because I am not you. I don't know how to fight in battles, I also don't know how to take care of your land. I know how to hunt, but may be it will not be enough for me and your woman. Forgive me, Brother, to want your woman to be mine, even before you are gone. And forgive me for asking you to help me to win the place in your house and her heart."

After everybody said their farewell to Vidarr, Arnvidr lighted the fire. The smoke raised to the sky and among the sound of burning wood, Eirikr heard Gunnarr singing:

_Lo, as I look to the west_

_where the sun lays its head to rest_

_I saw my ship approaching_

_from its hull I heard my forefathers singing_

_Let me sail with my ship_

_Thor has called me with his wit_

_Lo, his hammer will protect me_

_through the rough waters of sea_

_Though Vänern I will miss_

_and you, my beloved one_

_let me sail and go through the mist_

_to Valhalla, to my kingdom come_

_Oh, Odin my Father_

_send Your bless to my beloved one_

_and joy shall she be covered_

_to dance and sing 'till her time comes_

The sun was in evenly near both _Undorn_ and Mid-evening when the last wood tumbled to the ground. It hung almost on the West horizon. Around it was black clouds among the red and yellow colours. One by one the people broke the circle and returned to their houses. There would be a feast to make. To drink _sjaund – _funeral ale, before tomorrow, when the ashes were cold, they put Vidarr in his burrow.

Eirikr always liked _Undorn_. People called it _Undorn_, when the sun was exactly between South and West. Its light was not so strong anymore, but yet still warm enough to be on the rye field or in the wood, lurking deers or boar drinking.

But now, even _Undorn_ seemed unfriendly to him. It was not warm anymore. The wind from the East brought the wetness of Vänern, made the air chiller than normally. And nobody came to him to say some words which could ease his thoughts, or told him what to do. If Hallstein had been here, he would have brought some food, and started telling stories about what he wanted to do with his field, or Nenna. Eirikr sighed. He must have been losing his mind, otherwise he would not wish to hear Hallsteinn talking about Nenna.

Gunnarr, on the contrary, had found himself among the women. He helped them carrying the jugs of ale or the food to the table. Eirikr could hear how he jested, and how the women laughed.

Gunnarr was not exactly what people would call divine. He was skinny, averagely tall, dark brown hair, and hazel eyes. There was nothing particular about his face. May be his smile. If he smiled, it was as if the sun rose on his face. Gunnarr was also not what people called a good Svear warrior. He could not hunt alone, he was also not strong enough to plow his field. But he was good in trading. People said, Gunnarr could sell a grave yard, and still people would buy it. And women, they loved Gunnarr. He could sing, talk sweetly, and jest. He seemed to be able to find the correct word _all the time._

"Eirikr." a deep voice called his name. Arnvidr.

"Yes, Arnvidr."

"Come. I want to show you something." he said.

Eirikr followed Arnvidr. They walked away from the ship which was only a black mount.

"Alvar told me, you never left your village before."

"No, Arnvidr. I help my father in the field and in hunting. But I never go to haven."

"I heard from the men, you have light feet."

Eirikr nodded, proudly.

"In better days, I will take you to the forest, and we can hunt together." Arnvidr continued. "I know good places where lynxes had their lairs. My daughter loved everything that is white. White gown, white flowers, white lynx fur would certainly win her heart. Vidarr never caught one. He was not patient enough, and he could not climb."

"He could not climb?"

"No." Arnvidr smiled. "At least not as fast as the lynx."

They passed by Vidarr's house. The door was open, but Eirikr could not see if Aude was inside or not.

"Does she please your eyes, Eirikr?"

Eirikr felt his face was hot. Arnvidr knew that he searched for Aude, even for a glimpse. "Yes, Arnvidr. Very."

"Good. Then it was not for nothing that Vidarr chose you."

"Arnvidr, why did Vidarr choose me?"

Arnvidr looked at him. "Because he was your brother. It is your duty now, to continue the line of your family."

"What if I can not?"

"Then doom is Arnvidr." Arnvidr said. He took a deep breat before he conituned. "My daughter, spoiled as she is, does not want anybody to replace Vidarr. But a beg of a man on his dying breath, is Odin's order. She must follow her man's wish."

"To be with a man whom she doesn't want?"

"No." Arnvidr's voice became stern. "To give her man heirs, as well to give her father heirs, the ones who will remember the sagas of her family."

"How can you make a woman want you?"

"You can not. Women, weak are their bodies, but their minds are stronger than a company of Thor's warriors. If they decide, then even Odin Himself will not be able to change it. Believe my words, young Eirikr. Women are the wildest boars you will ever tame."

Strangely, Eirikr felt relieved. If a man like Arnvidr could not tame a woman, then how a mere man like him could? He would only make mistakes. And the more mistakes he made...were they not more reasons to learn? He could spend the rest of the days learning to please Aude, and he would not regret it.

They walked farther to the North, and entered the woods under Middagkulle. The trees were not as closed as the forest on the South, but high as well.

"In Summer, you will find a lot of berries here." Arnvidr said. "Do you like berries, Eirikr?"

"Yes. I like the blue ones, and lingonberries."

"Oh, yes. They are sour, but they are always joy in the mouth." Arnvidr smiled. "And if the women smash them, and put honey in it..."

"I can stay in store room the whole day and eat them." Eirikr continued.

Arnvidr laughed. "Ah, young ones. They are every where the same." he said.

The air was wet. There must be river in the near or did the wind carry Vänern water until up to the North?

Suddenly Eirikr heard a noise. A noise he never heard before. It was like somebody spilled water from above, a lot of water. But who could spill so much water?

"Arnvidr, what is that noise?"

"It is a _fors,_ Young Eirikr. A waterfall."

A waterfall?

Eirikr ran to the source of the sound, and left Arnvidr behind, laughing. He never saw a waterfall in his life. Erlingsäng had a river, even a big one. But the water flew and carried boats, ships, or men to the haven or to other land. He never saw water fall from the sky, except rains.

And there it was. Water, fell from the sky, like it was spilled from hundreds or even thousands of jugs! It fell and hit the stones under it, and then flew in a pond, and from the pond, it flew again like a big snake. The sound of it was loud, and filled his ears. He could not hear anything else except the sound of the water.

A waterfall! What would Hallsteinn and Gunnarr said if they saw this? Or did they see it already?!

A tap on his shoulder turned him around. Arnvidr.

"Does it please you, Eirikr?" Arnvidr said loudly, against the sound of the waterfall.

"Yes! It is amazing!"

"Come!" he said.

"But..." Eirikr protested. He wanted to stay longer, he wanted to take a bath under it, or swam in its pond. He wanted to feel its water on his skin.

But Arnvidr walked away already, forced him to follow. He sat on a big stone. A bit far from the waterfall, for Eirikr's taste, but he did not say anything.

"We can not sit too near to the water, Eirikr." he said. "Otherwise we could not hear each other. I know, you want to have a bath there. But you still have time, a lot of time."

"The waterfall is a feast for the eyes! Do you see how it falls from the sky, hit the stones, and continues flowing? It's like...it's like beast which runs from us, it will continue running until it loses its breath. But of course water can not breathe, it will run without end...oh, here, in your village! " Eirikr said.

"It will be your village one day." Arnvidr tapped his shoulder. "You know, this waterfall here, is where we all come from. The elders told us, that it was made by Thor himself. One day, when Thor were having a feast to welcome the fallen warriors at his place, at Thrudvangar, Sif, his wife, asked him to carry big cauldrons filled with water to the gate, so that she could welcome, and washed the feet of the warriors. Thor put a lot of the cauldrons on his chariot, which was drawn by Tanngniost and Tanngrisni, the goats. Loki heard about this, and wanted to play joke on him. He waited for the chariot, and put grass a long the way. Tanngniost was attracted by the grass, and ran wild. One of the cauldron fell from the sky here on this part of land. The water spilled and became waterfall. The cauldron became the hill. That's why this village is called Torkelfors. Tor is from _Thor_, kel from _kettil _or cauldron, and _fors, _waterfall."

Arnvidr draw the village and its surrounding. "This is our village," he pointed the big square in the middle. "And this is Vänern,. On the West and South is the forest, and on the North is Midnattskulle, the hill. Many believe, that Midnattskulle and Vänern are our best defenses, because enemy who come from those direction will be easily detected. But I think, the hill and the lake will be our weakest points. Because we tend to be careless and do not fortify ourselves with strong and good gate and weapons. And even if the lake is an open space, with strong weapons, any ships will be very easy to reach our land."

The joy from seeing a waterfall sunk. This beauty would need not only his eyes but also his sword. "What are behind the hill? Is there anything which can protect us?"

"Forest, and river. But the forest does not give any protection to us, or to our enemies. The strongest will conquer the forest, human or beast."

"What shall we do?"

"The lake and the hill have to be protected, they have to hold." Arnvidr looked at Eirikr. "I am old, Eirikr. Sooner or later, I will join my fathers. It will be on your shoulder to protect this land. You have to make them believe that the dangers do not come from the forest, it will come from the lake and the hill."

"How, Arnvidr? I do not even know how to fight. I am not Vidarr."

"And you shall not be. You will find your way, or the land will fall." Arnvidr stood up. "Come, we must return. Soon the feast will begin. Just remember, young Eirikr. If you have any problem, come to this place. I do. Somehow, I always find solution after listening to the sound of Thor's water."

Reluctantly Eirikr followed Arnvidr. He wanted to stay there longer. The sound of the water, loud as it is, brought calmness in his mind. No thought about Vidarr, no thought about what he could do here, in Torkelfors. It was just him, and the waterfall. And if he could take Aude here, one day, then Asgard was indeed on the land.

_Aude, _he sighed. Since when had this woman haunted his mind, and bonded whatever he wanted to do to her?

The fire was already lighted when Arnvidr and Eirikr reached the village. The warmth filled the air which carried the smell of warm bread and burning meat. Two big boars and some small deers were hung above the fire. Hjálmarr and some men had hunted right after the ceremony, some people said. And good hunter as he was, Hjálmarr lead them to a small pond in the forest where animals drank before they went to sleep. On each table, fruits, jugs of mead, and fishes were served.

"To our brothers, women and children who fell in the battle the other days." a man said. "We feast to day, so Odin could see that you did not come from unworthy people!"

The men lifted their drinking horns. "And He shall see!"

Jugs after jugs of mead were served. The food on the table was slowly getting less and less. The children did not sit around the tables anymore. They were now running around and playing. Their laughter were mixed with the laughter of the men and women who filled their stomach with too much mead.

The thrall whom Eirikr saw coming out from Vidarr's house put a bowl in front of him. There was some kind of food Eirikr never saw before. It was red. It looked like animals. They had long bent pointed bodies. On the part which looked like their heads (Eirikr believed it was head, because there were two small point which looked like eyes) there were thin hair (were they horns?). Each of them had two big hands with two claws which were almost bigger than its body, and many small feet.

"What are those?" Eirikr asked.

"Crayfish, good Eirikr." Gunnarr said.

"It is a fish? Then strange indeed the body that it has." Eirikr touched one of them. "Strong is its skin. Like warrior, they sheathe their body with armour. How do you eat them? "

"It is easy, Master Eirikr." the thrall said. "I can show you, if you wish."

"Come and sit between us, Thrall." said Gunnarr.

Eirikr and Gunnarr moved a bit to give the thrall a space.

"What are you called, Thrall?" Eirikr asked.

"Griselda."

"Drink your mead, Eirikr." Gunnarr. "Then you can taste the fish."

"Show me, Griselda." said Eirikr.

Griselda took a crayfish, held the top of the crayfish with one hand, and place the other above the tail, and then twisted it. Crack, and the head was separated from the body. "Suck it, Master." she gave him the head.

Eirikr drank the mead, and took the head of the fish from her hand. Slowly he sucked it. There was some juice inside, sweet and spicy, but also smooth. "Hmh!" he said.

"I know you will like it!" Gunnarr said.

"Then, you put your thumb and your finger between the very end of the tail, and press the meat out." Griselda continued. "Open your mouth, Master. I can do it for you."

Eirikr opened his mouth. Griselda put the body of the crayfish on his lips, and then pressed the meat out. For a moment he let it inside, he let it melted and filled his mouth. The taste of the flesh was soft and delicate, mixed with flavour of kvanne, onion, apple, and other tastes which he could not name. Hmmmh...it was almost like tasting warm bread with butter melted on it, early in the morning when the sun just rose on the East.

Then before he knew it, Eirikr ate almost the whole bowl. Such a delicious taste! He said between the crayfishes. Why you never brought them from the haven, Gunnarr. He asked. You have to eat them meanwhile it is warm, Gunnarr answered. Otherwise it doesn't taste good. And dead crayfishes are poisonous. I can cook it for you everyday, Master. Said Griselda. I am very good in catching and cooking crayfish. You do that, Thrall. You do that.

"Good people of Torkelfors and Erlingsäng!"

A loud noise from where Arnvidr sat made the people lower their voices and listened.

"Today, we said our farewells to our brother." said Arnvidr. "And I had promised his brother, that tomorrow he could enter his house. And yet, alas. These are the tiding days. We do not have enough food and days that we can spare for another feast. What say you, Magnus' son? Will you enter his house tomorrow, or will you wait until we have enough food and moment to spare?"

Eirikr felt that the air was shrinking in. Everybody looked at him, and waited for the answer. He searched for Aude. But she was nowhere to be found. Softly he heard Griselda whispered. "Master Aude was in the back part, Master. On the West, where the bread is."

Eirikr looked at to the West. Aude's small figure was almost swallowed by the smoke, and staple of food on the table. She turned her face away, as if she did not want to meet his eyes. His blood which was already heated by the mead was getting hotter. He cared less if Aude denied him when they were alone, like when they had been in her garden, but not in front of everybody. _I am not a thrall._ He thought angrily. _Don't take me as one!_

Eirikr turned his face away to challenge Arnvidr's eyes. "I enter Vidarr's house tomorrow. Food and days I can wait." From the corner of his eyes, he saw Aude looked at him in disbelief. Eirikr smiled, satisfied. May be he would have the wildest boar he would tame, but nevertheless he would have something. A man was only a man if he had something in his hand. A woman, a horse or a land, it was no matter indeed.

"Then, shall be it!" said Arnvidr. "Six of you, men and six of you, women would be chosen to give your wisdom words to our young man. Choose your words well!"

The men and women lifted their jugs. "Then it shall be!"

It was a custom among the Svears to chose some men and women to give a bath to the bride and groom, to wash away his or her 'child world' to enter the 'men and women' world. During the bath, they would give their wisdom about the life of men and women.

"Were you not chosen to be my mouth, I would choose you, Gunnarr." said Eirikr.

Gunnarr lifted his drinking horn. "Then it would be an honour for me, good Eirikr. I certainly would choose you, if my time comes!"

Eirikr lifted his drinking horn, and hit it on Gunnarr's. "Then it shall be!"

Jugs after jugs were served, meat was sliced from the boars, until there was nothing left, and the bread was almost empty, when the loud sound of the horn from the tower was heard.

The men were on their feet, the swords were raised. The women took the children, and ran to their houses.

"Lock the door, and unsheathe your daggers, Women. The time comes when you have to defend the honour of your house!"

Eirikr watched how Griselda ran to Aude and together they moved fast into the darkness. After he was sure that Aude and Griselda were far enough from where he stood, he joined the men who swiftly lined themselves like a wall, and shielded themselves with their swords and spears. The rest stood in alert with their swords raised behind the men wall.

Three shadows were approaching. Moved slowly in the dark. The light from the fire was not strong enough to tell their faces, but the way they moved showed clearly that they were not in charging position.

"Halt! Declare yourself!" Hjálmarr ordered.

The shadows stopped. A voice of a young man was heard. "I am Kjell son of Sören, guard of the western tower. I come to bring Hólmgeirr son of Ragnvaldr and Olaf son of Orvar."

"Come closer!"

The shadows moved forward. They were three men. One was a mere man, the others were men, one was half naked and the other was in brown tunic made of animal skin.

"You can return to your tower, Kjell son of Sören." said Hjálmarr. "And you, Hólmgeirr son of Ragnvaldr and Olaf son of Orvar, come to Arnvidr, the ruler of Torkelfors."

"It is unheard of!" one shadow moved closer, meanwhile the other was moving away. "Since when a man of Torkelfors is told by a man of other land?"

It was Olaf son of Orvar. If the men had never heard his voice before, they would have taken him for somebody else. His unclad body was covered with mud mixed with blood. He had neither sword nor spear. And there was an unpleasant smell come out from his mouth. As if he had eaten something rotten.

"Were you here, Olaf, you would know, since many of our brothers had fallen, the council of Torkelfors had appointed me as the North Protector of Torkelfors." Hjálmarr sheathed his sword. Following Hjálmarr, the rest of the men sheathed their swords.

"Where were you, Olaf? Your woman had been sick of being not to know whether to pray for your health or your death."

Olaf did not answer, but grinned. A grin that made his face looked uncanny in Eirikr's eyes. There was something on that face that made him uncomfortable, but he could not really explain why. It was as if, he had looked at a face of a beast.

"Come, sit. We are having feast for Vidarr."

"Not until Hólmgeirr son of Ragnvaldr answered my question." Alvar's voice was heard.

"Is Arnvidr or is he not the ruler of Torkelfors?" asked Olaf. "If he is, why men of Erlingsäng raise his voice in Torkelfors when Arnvidr does not?"

For a moment, it was quiet. Eirikr could sense how the air was getting tighter. At any moment, somebody could charge his sword, and the blood among the Svear would be spilled. Without being able to help himself, his hands were shaken.

"Let Hólmgeirr be heard." finally Arnvidr answered.

Hamr moved closer.

"Good men of Torkelfors and Erlingsäng, I pray you for forgiveness, for I had not taken your leaves when I chased Olaf. He was suffered from the wounds and acted like a raving man when he heard the sounds of the beasts. And like a fool, I ran, for Linnéa, the wise woman of Erlingsäng had seen it in my eyes, the death of Olaf if I had not come for aid. Little I know about medicines, and I wanted to assist Olaf in his madness."

"Had you seen the beasts, good Hólmgeirr?"

"Alas, yes. They were beasts like I have never seen before. As big as man, but in shape of wolf. Their heads were bigger than man's head, and their claws were as sharp as tiger's. They were strong, very strong. They could rip off the trees with their bare hands. They were surrounding Olaf when I found him, swinging and charging his sword against them. We were almost defeated, but by Odin, then came other creatures. With a shape of a man, but skin as pale as the moonlight. The beasts then charged the creatures instead of us. As if they had had grudges among them."

"What happened then?"

"Olaf and myself ran from the battles. Such an act of cowardice indeed, but as saving ourselves from cursed of being eaten by such a beast and chose another battle to fight can not be considered as cowardice.

We hid ourselves deep in the forest, away from the place. And I nursed Olaf's wounds until he recovers. Good, that Linnéa warned me about this perils, otherwise I would not bring my bag of herbs with me."

The men looked at each other. Olaf indeed recovered. There was no single scars or wound that could be seen.

"And the poor men, the ones Dagr and Försten had seen, what happened to them? Had you seen them fighting the beasts, or were they the creature you saw?"

Hamr and Olaf looked at each other. Their eyes blinked. Like talking to each other without uttering any word.

"We had not seen any man." said Hamr after a while.

The men murmured.

"Are you telling us we had not told the truth, Hólmgeirr son of Ragnvaldr?"

"No, good Dagr. But we had not seen any men or beasts. It was three days ere, the beasts must have returned to eat their preys."

"And the Göter? Were their bodies still there?"

"No." said Olaf. "But their armour were."

Everybody was silent. Had they been eaten by the beasts, or had Olaf and Hólmgeirr told lies? Those questions seemed to be there, since nobody was willing to move away from their positions. From his position, Eirikr could see Dagr and Försten still holding the hilts of their swords.

"And it shall be." Arnvidr's deep voice broke the silent. "I take your words, for it will be ashamed to send men in such a peril place, when the eyes of the enemies fix on our land. And it will be ashamed if we can not fulfill Vidarr's last wish, to have his line continue."

"And it shall be!" answered the men.

One by one the men returned to the tables. The women, the children and the thralls were called to continue the feast. The fire was made bigger, and the jugs were again filled with mead.

Eirikr's appetite was gone. It looked like Gunnarr's too. He was sitting, and holding his drinking horn with his fingers tapping on the it.

"What's on your mind, Gunnarr?"

"Thoughts. Thoughts I can not sort, thoughts I can not hear." he said. "It was like there were walls between them. I can not listen to them clearly."

"You are talking in riddles again, my friend." Eirikr said.

"Indeed I am." he smiled, faintly. "Forgive me, my friend. It is your night, enjoy! Forget what I said. Come, let's get some more crayfish. It looks like you could empty Vänern by the way you eat!"

Both of them got up.

"You please the eyes of your thrall, Eirikr." said Gunnarr. "She can not take her eyes off you."

Eirikr looked around to find Griselda. She was standing beside the bread table, side by side with Aude. The thrall smiled at him, and her dark skin got darker when he acknowledged her present by nodding. Meanwhile Aude did not seem to notice at all.

Eirikr sighed. "No, she can not, can she?"

"And it doesn't please you?"

If it had been Aude, it would have. Eirikr looked at Aude again, who knew she would raise her head a bit, so their eyes could meet. Only a bit, for pity sake! But no, she continued cutting the bread.

"Patient, my friend." Gunnarr said. "Patient, that's the key to unlock the heart of a woman. Sooner or later, she will be yours. Until then, just be patient."

"And if not?"

Gunnarr smiled. "I never find the answer for that question." then he laughed. "May be you can tell me, one day."

His laugh made Eirikr feel warm. At least, there would always be somebody who could jest.

"Gunnarr," a voice behind them made them turn around. Olaf. "I never have a chance to talk to the mouth of Vidarr's brother." he said. "You must have something that others don't."

Something strange crept behind Eirikr's neck. It made him shudder. It was not because Olaf smell unpleasant, but there was something in his eyes, something wild, something raving. His blue eyes were wide open, looking at Gunnarr as if they were looking at a prey. And there was a grin on his face, a grin of satisfaction, but of what?

Gunnarr did not react, but his hand grabbed the hilt of his sword.

"How has the wound treated you, Olaf?" Eirikr asked, tried to change the air between them.

"I'll live." he said, without removing his eyes from Gunnarr.

"Good," Eirikr said, and then he pulled Gunnarr to continue their walk.

"We have to talk, Gunnarr son of Alvar. One of these days." said Olaf.

"What was that all about?" Eirikr asked when they were away from Olaf. "Why does Olaf behave to you that way? Are there grudges between you?"

"There must be something in my blood." Gunnarr said. His hazel eyes were narrow. "It attracts troubles."

Eirikr did not know if Gunnarr was jesting or not. But whatever it was, he knew, it would not be easy to avoid not to across Olaf's way.

The day was getting deep into the night. The moon was nor full neither bright. The air was heavy from the smoke and smell of food. Most of the men slept, either on their places at the tables, or in their houses.

Eirikr and Gunnarr found a place to sleep in the Long Hall, together with some men of Erlingsäng. Eirikr tried to close his eyes, but he could not. The face and the smell of Olaf were like smell of fishes, he could not get rid off them easily.

But he was not the only one who could not sleep.

_***************_


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

The last stone of the stone ship that marked Vidarr's grave had been laid down. The men of Torkelfors were already gone. There were nobody else, but Eirikr, and Aude, standing side by side, with no words spoken.

They gathered the ashes from the ship early in the morning, when the sun was still low on the East. Then they made two burrows. In one burrow they put the ashes in a big ceramic jug, and beside it were the swords, spears, and daggers of the Göter. Arnvidr put a shield with a falcon picture on it – Vidarr's shield. In the other burrow, they put the horse and the falcon. After they covered the burrows with soil, they laid stones beside each other and made them as ship.

Somehow, Eirikr felt empty. He did not really know the man he had just buried. Vaguely he remembered the time when Vidarr had been in Erlingsäng, playing with him on the meadows, chasing butterflies or insects. And then Vidarr must go, together with the men hunting in the forest, going to the haven, and sailing. When he returned from his journey, he would spend the nights around the fire telling everybody about his journey.

Eirikr remembered watching his big brother proudly, and wished one day he would take him too in one of those ships. But the time never came. Vidarr had found his woman, and he wanted to live together with her in her village.

And his woman was now standing beside him.

Eirikr could see clearly, how red her hair was. Deep red like the colour of red berries when they were ready to be picked. Rolled above her head, and some of them which loose, touching the back of her neck, which was pale, as pale as the moon in the early morning. How he wanted to touch that neck, to feel her skin! Was it soft? Was it tender?

Eirikr breathed carefully. He did not want that she could hear it, and awoke her from whatever thoughts and dreams about Vidarr she might be having. Because if he was the one who was on her mind, he would not want anybody to disturb her either.

"You could have waited." he heard her whispering. May be he should have waited until the new moon came. But he knew, The Göter were lurking out there somewhere, and the beasts would probably return. Eirikr realized, the reason why he wanted to enter the house of Vidarr as soon as possible has changed. When he had been on the ship on the way to Torkelfors, it was only his brother's last wish that he wanted to fulfill. Now that he had seen her, he wanted her. Her figure, her scent, _her_. He did not know why, but very thought of her already could make him feel like he was lighted by fire. Hot, and nervous. The bottom part of his body was tensed, and hard. It was not painful, it was just, he could not think clearly about anything anymore, but her.

Eirikr took her hand. _I should have not done it._ He thought. But too late. To his surprised, Aude did not take her hand away. Her hand was small, and cold. How he wanted to rub that hand, to give warmth. But he did not dare to move.

"I will wait." he said, and he did not know what for.

Aude pulled her hand softly. "Soon his house will be yours." she said. "And I will fulfill my duty as your woman. But do not wish for anything more."

Eirikr looked at her. What was it, that made her looked down to him? Did he not please her eyes? Did she think he had too few winters that he could not give her what she wished? And what did it mean that he should not wish for anything more? That she would not take him as her man the way she had taken Vidarr? No, he would not wish it either. She should take him as her man the way she would take _him_ – Eirikr son of Magnus, and nobody else! Not even Vidarr!

Eirikr raised his face. "Then it shall be." he said. He should have said something more, because his chest was full with feelings he never knew that he would have. He was glad that she had talked to him and miserable at the same time because she had not look him in the eye. His body was warm and light, that now he could hold her hand, even for a while, but then wave of anger had filled him in. Anger that had come for whatever reasons.

He could scream, he wanted to scream, and it was so close that he would scream, to let those feelings out of his body. This was not what he wanted, he did not even wish to replace Vidarr. Yes, he had wanted to be on the same ship with him, but not to take his place. Neither on the ship, nor in his house!

And then he looked at her. No, he had not wanted to take his place - that's true, but now he wanted it. He wanted her. _And I will have her._ He thought. Just like catching a lynx. If he was patient enough to lurk and wait, and even to trap the beast, he would get it. And so Aude. May be he would not trap her the way he had trapped the lynx, but he would wait. Oh yes, he would wait!

He smiled. "Then it shall be."

Gunnarr picked him up, and took him to the bath house, long after Aude had left him alone. He had not run after her, or asked her to stay. He'd just watched her moving away and finally gone inside her house.

Six men would give him a bath, and then he would be taken to the Freyråker, a field under the Midnattskulle, where people of Torkelsfor spoke their prayers to Freyr, and asked for rain, heirs and prosperity. On that field, he and Aude would get married.

Alvar was the first one who entered the bath house.

Alvar sat on the bank, meanwhile he took a bath inside a big wooden cask filled with warm water. Alvar told him, as a man of trade, how to attract buyers. "Good name is very important." he said. "Because if you don't have a good name, you will have a very small price for your goods, and sometimes people do not buy from you. You have to be honest, friendly, and respectful. Treat your buyers like when you treat your father or your chieftain...." and he went on about selecting goods and knowing what the people needed. "Sometimes you have to make them feel that they need the good, even when they actually don't...."

Eirikr was listening carefully, when suddenly a thought came to him. He had never been with a woman before. What he should do if he was alone with Aude, in the their room, in Vidarr's house?

"...you have to know that..." Alvar's voice came back again to his ears.

Eirikr decided to ask. Alvar must have known. "Alvar, what shall I do if I am with my woman, alone?"

Alvar looked at him. His mouth dropped. Then he touched his beard. Slowly. Eirikr could see that Alvar was thinking, very hard. Just like Gunnarr, he narrowed his eyes. And then he got up. "You should ask Arnbiorn. He is younger than me, he could explain it better."

Then he went out.

Arnbiorn went in. He smiled widely. "Young Eirikr!" he said. He sat on the bank, rubbing his hands, as if he could not wait to tell him about his work. Arnbiorn was very good in building ships and houses. Any kind of wood, in his hand, he could change and made them useful. "The secret with wood is," he said. "That they have to be old, and you have to know their line. Follow the line of the wood, then you will have a good material for building. Not only that, you will not see that it had hole or that your goods are from different parts of the tree, if you can match the line. You know what I mean with line? Every tree has written the seasons inside their body, and the seasons circle them like rings. Every line means a winter, therefore the more lines they have, the older they are. Do you know how to separate straight board from the the bent one? You have to take it to your hand, bring it close to your eyes, and see it from the thickness part, from one end to the other....."

And when Eirikr asked the same question, he grinned. "Oh," he said. "You could do a lot of things with women. Yes, young Eirikr, a lot."

Eirikr waited for the next sentence. But it was never spoken. Arnbiorn's eyes were shining, and his grin was getting wider and wider, but not a word. And when he realized that Eirikr was waiting, he said, "You'll know what to do, Eirikr." he tapped his shoulder, and went out.

The next man was a man of Torkelfors. "I am called Alfr." he said. "I am a farmer, I am more a gardener, actually. But people call me a farmer. I heard your father has taught you well in field."

"Yes." Eirikr said.

"If so, you do not need much words from me." he smiled. His eyes were wandering upon Eirikr's face, and then his hair, went down to his arms. "You are a fine young man, Eirikr son of Magnus. I envy Aude."

Eirikr looked at him. "Do you know her well?"

"Yes. We made her garden, Aude and I. She is such a lovely woman. She has taste like nobody else here. And she has good taste in men." then he chuckled. "Ah, I am talking like a soft cat."

"I wish I knew what she wants." said Eirikr. "She is too deep in grief."

"Give her time, young Eirikr. That gentle friend of mine needs time to recover her wounds, and finds herself again. People talk bad behind her back because she can not bear any children, and now she has to marry brother of her man who just died, and people already talked that she would treat her new man the same. There will be no children. Huh, children, as if there was nothing else." he touched his hair. "Talking about children depresses me."

"Are you that closed to her that you can claim yourself as a friend? What is a man who has a woman as a friend, but not as a lover?"

He smiled. "A man, like any other man. Just because I take men as my lovers does not mean I am a lesser man." he said. "I know people talk differently, but between you and me, it leaves nothing in my ears."

_Heh, it would be meaningless to ask him the question_, thought Eirikr.

After Alfr, Hjálmarr went in. Big and strong, proud like a bear. "It is a pity that Björn is not with us anymore." he said. " Otherwise, you, me and Björn could hunt together."

"Yes, where is Björn?"

"He had fallen. And buried with the rest the next day after we sent the Göter back to where they belong. _Hel_!"

"Forgive me, Hjálmarr. I have no knowledge of the matter."

"Ah, there is nothing to forgive, Eirikr. True is my word, I envy him. He is able to accompany Vidarr, and I am not."

"Hjálmarr, how shall I treat Aude?" Eirikrr asked. "What did Vidarr say about Aude?"

Hjálmarr laughed. "That he would rather face a bear than face Aude when she was angry. But you will find out your way, Eirikr."

"How?"

"Just like in hunting. First you learn, you make a lot of mistakes, but then slowly you know what the beasts usually do, the time they drink, the time they feed, where they live, what they like, and the next thing you know, you can get them anytime you want."

Then entered Dagr. Their best man in using sword. "First, you have to know the sword. You have to make it as apart of your body. Don't hold him tight, but firm. Firm enough that makes you feel having a longer hand. And practice. You have to train your body and your hand to know the sword, from what it's made, and how it moves. You can not wish to be a master without practicing. You have to be able to trust your sword, otherwise in a battle, you would be a naked man."

Eirikr nodded. And when he asked him the question, Dagr said.

"You take your sword, firm and steady, and then stab her beam."

_Take my sword, and stab her beam....women have beams?!_

The last one was Hamr. He sat there on the bank, and did not say a word.

Eirikr did not know how long they were staring at each other. But slowly the water was getting cold. Eirikr shivered. His hands were all wrinkled like dried fruits, and Hamr was still sitting there, and saying nothing.

"Hamr...It's cold..." finally Eirikr said.

"Oh," said Hamr, as if somebody had just awoken him from his day dreaming. "I am sorry, Eirikr. I have a lot in my mind lately. What do you want to know about my work, Eirikr? You can come anytime, and learn with me."

"I thank you, Hamr."

Hamr took a towel, and then said, "Dry yourself, Eirikr."

Eirikr climbed out from the cask, and accepted the towel.

"I call your thrall to help you dressing up." Hamr said. "You will ask Gunnarr to take you to Freyråker, I presume."

"Yes."

"And Hjálmarr, if I may say so. He was your brother's friend. Vidarr would like seeing him guarding his little brother."

"Then Hjálmarr it is." Eirikr tied the cloth around his hips. "Will you return to Erlingsäng, Hamr?"

"Yes. When Alvar tells us to. But I am not sure when. I feel something peril is out there, Eirikr. In the forest, waiting for anybody who astray."

"Do you mean the beasts?"

"Yes, the beasts. And the men." he said. "I call your thrall now, and tell Gunnarr and Hjálmarr to prepare themselves to accompany you to the Freyråker." then he left.

Sooner or later the men of Erlingsäng will return to their houses. Left him alone here with his new people. He wondered if Gunnar would stay here, with him. Arnvidr would surely allow Gunnarr to stay and have some piece of land for himself.

The door was open. Griselda entered with some clad in her arm.

"I will help you, Master." she said.

Eirikr nodded. He opened his towel and took the red tunic from Griselda's arm. For a moment, he was standing naked in front of his thrall, letting her see his long upper body which was firm and tight from hunting and doing his work in the field. He was considered of not having enough flesh in front of the men, but it was in the proper size. The soft light from the window that fell on his body made his figure like figures of a beautiful forest creature from the sagas that had been told around the fire.

But Eirikr's mind was wandering looking for answers of his own question of what he should do later to realize that his thrall was standing in front of him with hot face. He just notice that her skin was getting darker when the tunic passed his head. "Griselda, what has come into you?"

Griselda smiled shyly. "Nothing, Master."

Eirikr took the trousers. "It was not the true words." he said. "You should not lie to me, Griselda."

"Forgive me, Master." she nodded. Her smiled was gone. She took the buckled which laid on the bank, and put it around Eirikr's waist. Slowly she rose. "You were in the cask too long, Master. Your skin is blue and wrinkling. It is not wise to be in the water too long, Master."

_I know. _He thought, but he did not say anything.

"You have a beautiful chain, Master." she touched the pendant, a round pendant made of silver, with five points in the middle and from there, the points spreading like a spiral, on the edge of the pendant was embossed chains tied to each other. "A Völva gave it to me."Eirikr said.

"You seem to have a magical power to women, Master." she smiled, and again, her skin got darker. Griselda asked him to sit down so she could dried his hair. Eirikr sat down, and let her rub his head and gently combed his hair.

"How long have you been with Master Vidarr, Griselda?"

"Three winters," she said. "Master Vidarr bought me from the haven, and brought me here as a present for Master Aude."

"That makes you her thrall, and not Vidarr's."

"Yes, Master."

"Is that the reason why you do not accompany Vidarr to Valhalla?"

"I would love to, for Master Vidarr was a fine Master." she said. "But now, if I may say what's in my heart..."

"Yes, Griselda."

"I do not wish it anymore."

"What makes your heart easily changed?"

Griselda did not answer.

Eirikr turned around. "Am I not your Master? Do I not deserve obedience from you?"

"Forgive me, Master. Indeed you are. You are my Master, as Master Aude is mine."

"Then I deserve an answer."

"My heart told me, you might need me, Master." she answered in trembling voice.

_Was she in fear? There is no need to be in fear._ thought Eirikr. But he said, "Indeed I do." And that's the truth. He would need any help he could get. Eirikr got up. "How do I look, Griselda? Will I please your Master's eyes?"

Griselda smiled. Her big brown eyes were shining like two stars. "You are a magic to women's eyes, Master."

"Pray that I will be hers, Griselda."

The men of Erlingsäng were all gathered outside the bath house and tapped his shoulder, as a wish of good luck.

Hjálmarr gave him a sword – an old sword with black hilt, on top of it was silver in knot form, and said, "This sword is called Svartr, once belonged to your forefathers, Eirikr. And now it belongs to you to be given to your woman, as she will give it to your sons, and they will give it to their sons. May your line be long and prosperous. And by accepting this sword, you are no longer a boy, but a man who will protect his house, his land, his sons, and his woman. May your forefathers be proud when they see you again." then he gave him a hammer. "This hammer, as Thor carries his own hammer, may protect you from perils and troubles. And by Thor son of Odin, the ruler of Thunder and Lightning, let you be blessed by his wife, Sif, and your house will be strong and prosperous."

Eirikr accepted the sword and the hammer. He put the hammer under his buckle, and wanted to sheathe the sword when Gunnarr stepped forward and said,

"And by this ring, you and your woman should be bonded till Death separate you." he opened his palm, and on it was a ring, a plain ring made of gold.

Eirikr took the ring.

"You have to put the ring on the hilt, Eirikr." Gunnar said. "And give it to your woman later in the ceremony."

Eirikr nodded. He took a deep breath. _Now it's the time. _He thought. And he could not help but feel nervous. He would not face a bear or a bigger beast, but somehow he felt he would be calmer if he faced the beast than went to Freyråker.

They took him to the North, where Freyråker was. A huge plain meadow with nothing but green grass, and a big tree, as big as five men hand in hand together and made a circle. Under it was a long table with a bowl made of silver on it, and an old man.

The people of Torkelfors had been waiting for him too. Except Aude and Arnvidr. They were not there yet.

Eirikr was getting more nervous. His heart beat faster. He did not know if he should stay or go. May be Aude decided not to come, being spoiled as she was – like what Arnvidr had said, or she simply took her things and left. Or may be it was not a good decision after all, taking the woman of his brother as his woman, because he would always be compared with him. May be he should take another woman, and live somewhere else. May be.....

Then he heard a soft sound of a horn. He turned around, and there she was, walking towards her, putting her hand on her father's hand, wearing soft green gown. Her red hair was open, with no stones or silver on it, but a tiara made from grass and flowers. Her lips were not pale anymore but coloured with soft red. There was no chain on her chest or her wrist. Just like the first time he had seen her, soft and delicate.

Eirikr smiled. All fears had left him. She was here, she did not run away or refuse to come. She was here, to be with him.

Arnvidr gave her hand to Eirikr.

"Then we shall begin." said the old man. Then he chanted a pray to Freyr and Freyja asking for blessing and prosperity. He dipped a twig of fir inside the silver bowl, and sprinkled Eirikr and Aude with blood of a bird that they sacrificed before.

"Let the man give the ring and the sword." he said to Eirikr.

"By this ring and this sword, I take thee as my woman, and shall this bond only be separated by Death."

Aude took the ring, Eirikr helped her put it on her finger. And then she took the sword, and put it on the table.

"I accept the ring and the sword and hold the sword in trust, as I will give it to my...son." she said.

"Let the woman give the ring and the sword."

Aude took the sword from her father, and gave it to Eirikr. "By this ring and the sword, I take thee as my man, and shall this bond only be separated by Death."

Eirikr took the ring, and helped by Aude, he put it on his finger. And then he took the sword.

"Put your hand on the hilt, Aude daughter of Arnvidr." the old man said. "And let your vows be heard."

Aude put her hand on the hilt of the sword, below Eirikr's hand.

"And I promise thee, to love, protect and care, and never will I let you feel coldness nor see darkness in my house." said Eirikr.

"And I shall fulfill my duty as your woman."

"Then I declare you, Eirikr son of Magnus, and Aude daughter of Arnvidr as man and wife." said the oldman. "And you shall drink the bridal ale, and by Thor, you shall be blessed."

After Freyråker, they continued the ceremony at The Long Hall. In Svear fashion, the groom had to put the sword at the middle of the door to prevent the bride to enter. If the bride stumbled and fell, then it would be considered as a bad sign. Inside the Hall, the couple would drink the bridal ale as for Thor, so He may protect and bless them. The bridal ale was made from mead mixed with honey. They put the bridal ale in a silver cup, embossed with ivy leaves and handles which took shape of birds or other animals that the people desired. The People of Torkelfors used the shape of birds as the handle of the silver cup.

Aude stood in front of Eirikr and gave him the silver cup which contained bridal ale. "May you live long and prosper, my husband. And by your side I shall be."

Eirikr accepted the cup, and said, "I accepted this ale as a gift from Thor, may He blesses my house and my land." he drank it, then he returned it to Aude. "May you live long and prosper, my wife. And by your side I shall be."

Aude took the cup, and drank it a little. Afterward, she put the cup on the table.

"Eirikr," Arnvidr said. "Now you shall stab your sword into the beam."

For a moment Eirikr thought that he should stab Aude's beam, but when he saw Dagr and Gunnar shook their heads and pointed the beam of the Hall, he realized what Arnvidr meant with the beam, the _real _beam, and not Aude's, which he did not know where it was anyway.

Eirikr took his new sword, and with one swing, the sword went into the beam.

"Yeah!" the men cheered. His sword went deep inside.

Eirikr looked at Arnvidr who looked satisfied. "Now you are allowed to enter Vidarr's house. And from today it shall be called Eirikr's house."

Eirikr smiled, and turned around to see Aude. His woman, oh how proud he was to repeat that words in his head – _his woman, _ stood beside him. There was no smile on her face, but her face was not so pale anymore. May be the mead had heated her blood, the way it heated his.

He reached out his hand, "Come, Aude. I want to see our house." he said.

Aude took his hand, and together they left the Long Hall. Behind them, the men and women cheered and laughed. "Let's hear some music." somebody said. And the Long Hall was filled with music and songs.

But Eirikr could not hear it anymore. With Aude's hand in his hand he ran. He wanted to go away from all of those. He wanted to be alone with her, talked, watched her, or only sat together without saying any word. He did not mind.

"I love your garden, Aude." he said when they were near the house. "It soothes me."

"Eirikr, do you always run like this?"

Eirikr stopped. Aude was standing beside him, her face was red, and she was out of breath.

"Forgive me, my lover." he said. "I am eager to see what is inside our house." he smiled. "Did you hear what I said? I love your garden. I will carry its smell to Valhalla!"

For the first time since they met, a smile was broken on her face. Only for a moment, and faint, but it brought warmth to his heart. Silently he made a promise, he would make that pale face reddish like an apple again and smiling. And may be one day, he would be able to hear her laughter.

"Come, show me!" he said.

Aude walked to the door, and opened it. "Please enter, Eirikr son of Magnus. This is your house now, and may it please you!"

Slowly Eirikr entered the house. There were two rooms, and one small hall. In the middle of the hall was a fire place. Its walls were painted white with pictures of leaves and flowers, and there was a window. At the corner near by the door were two spears and a shield, with a picture of falcon on it.

"Vidarr's banner." he said.

"Yes. And if it doesn't please your eyes, I will ask the thrall to bring it to Sören the smith to remove it."

"No. Vidarr was my brother. Let his banner be mine." he said.

"The door on the left leads to the room of the thralls, and on the right leads to ours."

"Thralls? How many thralls did Vidarr have?"

"Two."

"And what are they called?"

"Griselda and Asun."

"I saw Griselda." said Eirikr. "But Asun, I know nothing of."

"She is but an old woman who helps me preparing food."

"Let's see our room." Eirikr said. He went to the right door and opened it.

The room was smaller than the hall. There was a bed covered with bear fur standing at the corner. On it were two pillows, on one of them was a twig of purple flowers.

Eirikr entered the room. He looked around and smiled. "Yes, it pleases me." he took his hammer, and put it on the floor, before he sat on the bed. "Indeed, it pleases me." He reached out his hands.

Aude came nearer, but she did not take his hands. She was some steps away from him, standing in front of him, but her face turned away to the wall.

Her scent was all over his senses. Sweet scent, smelled just like the twig of purple flowers. It poisoned his mind, he could not see anything else but the delicate figure in front of him. He wanted to touch her, pull her close to his chest and squeeze her tight, until her body became one with his. He wanted to find the source of the scent...was it on her underarms, or was it on her hand. Was it buried under her soft green cloth, on her body...? Shall he use his lips or his tongue? Did she taste sweet, did she taste sour?

But her face, which looked soft and gentle under the deemed light looked empty. As if her mind had been away, far away, to the place he could not reach, to the place he was not allowed to follow.

Gently he took her hands and pulled her until her body closed to his. With all his might, he fought the burning feeling between his legs and the hardness that came along with it. _I have to be patient. _He thought. Carefully, afraid to awake her from her thought, he laid her down on her pillow.

Her eyes were closed, and from each corner tear fell down on her cheek.

Eirikr licked the tears. They were as salty as some days ago, he thought it would taste different, now that she was with him. Didn't the people say, women cried also when they were in joy? Slowly, he removed the flowers from her hair, and put them on the floor, and then he laid himself down.

The room was quiet. There was nothing to be hear, but the sound of his own heart beating. Aude did not move, he did not move either. After for a time which seemed forever for him, he changed his position. Now he laid on his side, watching her. Her eyes were still closed, but the tears had stopped running.

Eirikr put his hand on her hip, and move closer to her, until he could feel her body heat. He closed his eyes. If later Aude opened her eyes and asked him, what he was doing, he would answer, _snuggling._

_************_


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

The new moon arrived at the western sky. The days were getting shorter, the darkness came earlier, and the wind was becoming less friendly.

Eirikr saw the new moon for numbers he could not count anymore. Like any other new days, normally he could take them with light heart. New moon meant new season. If the ice was gone, the leaves would come. The new leave grew, flowers showed their faces, and then berries would fill the branches, apples hang on their trees, waiting to be picked. Animals were getting bigger and it meant meat, fresh red meat for the fire, and then the leaves turned to yellow or brown, the harvest would come. Time to celebrate and to have feasts. There was always somebody who wanted to get married. After that the snow would come, time to hunt animals with priceless fur. Lynx, bears, foxes. Everything would begin again.

But not this new moon.

There was not enough food left in Torkelfors. The Göter burnt the field the last time they came. The people passed the tenth moon with dry meat and bread around the fire. They did not have rye to cut, let alone food to give to Sif - to thank her for her bless upon the rich harvest. The days of drinking mead, singing and dancing around the fire seemed to happen long ago. Their days in this tenth month this winter were only filled with cutting wood to repair the houses, and patrol during the night. Even when until now, there was no sign that the Göter would return. They did not want to low their guard.

But it was not only that. Fourteen days went by, and nothing happened...much. Aude still did not have so many words for him, and in the night, when he laid down beside her, driven mad by her scent and his own feelings to touch her, she turned her back around. Nothing else he could do, except held her tight. And when the feelings were too strong and he was afraid that he would hurt her, like tonight, he went out and joined the men guarding the wall.

Since the first day he entered the house of his brother, he had tried to do the best he could to make Aude look at him. He woke up early in the morning to start catching fish in the lake, and after morning meal, he cut the wood and with the others repairing the houses. He even cleaned his body well before he went to bed. Something that he had rarely done, back there in Erlingsäng.

He knew, however, there were things that he did that did not please Aude. They were not bad things, not in his eyes, but sometimes he had a feeling, that Aude did not like them. His habit of putting his fingers into smashed-berries jar, and licked them, before he put them back in. Or when he laid down in the garden, watching her and Griselda making food, or following her steps with his eyes, to see how her hips moving away from him. Aude did not say anything but gave him a look that enough for him that she did not like it. Her eyes would become sterner and like hold back the tears, she stared at him, before she turned her face away. Such a fool he was, he could only smile or grin. It was not because he was in joy that he made her angry, but it was the matter that _she looked at him_, that brought the smile upon his face.

"Such a day we had to day. " Hjálmarr said, as they walked beside the lake. "Days that I had been hunting, in many forest in many lands, but never before that a forest could be as quiet as today. As if the animal sensed that danger was lurking. It is not the season that not a single animal was not seen. Either they were hunted down, or they left the forest. And I had this feeling, that somebody or something was watching me the whole time I was in the forest."

Eirikr listened carefully. He had had that feeling too, when they had been surrounded by the beast. As if somebody had been watching him, he was sitting somewhere on one of the trees.

"Do you think the unworthy sons of Göter had done that, to make us weak, or the beasts?"

"I do not know. I just have this feeling I can not easily get rid off."

"Take me to the forest tomorrow, Hjálmarr." Eirikr said. "I could climb high enough to see the land from distance."

"Young Eirikr is right, good Hjálmarr." said Egill. "He could be a good pair of eyes for us."

"Then you should get some rest, Eirikr. Almost every night you are here with us, is something bothering you?"

Eirikr shook his head. What should he say? He could not sleep, and his woman did not give him the knowledge if she knew that he was there, beside her, or not.

"Do not weary, Young Eirikr. We will have a good fight together when the time comes." Hjálmarr said. "Go. It is almost _Ótta_, now. You still have some time to sleep. At the daybreak, I will call your name."

Reluctantly, Eirikr went home. It was _Ótta_, the time when the sun was almost rising up. The air would be getting colder, and the animals would sleep. Not a sound could be heard, and at the sky, the morning star would be seen bright and clear on the Eastern sky.

But Hjálmarr was correct. If he did not have enough sleep, he would be nothing but burden for the others in the forest.

Carefully he opened the door. The fire was low, but it still had enough warmth to fill in the room.

"Master..." Griselda's soft voice greeted him. She was standing in front of the door to her room.

"Why are you not on your bed, Griselda?" he opened his buckle, and sword.

Griselda went to him, and took the buckle and the sword. "You are neither, Master."

Eirikr looked at her. Did she know that he could not sleep almost every night? He touched her face. "You are a good thrall, Griselda." he said. "You would please any master you have."

She smiled. Her big brown eyes were shining. She looked like a child who was pleased because her mother gave her a jug of dried sweet fruits.

Eirikr bent his body to Griselda. He liked to see how bright her eyes were. He had seen them many times, when she was carrying jug of water, or when she helped Aude making bread. Every time their eyes met, a smile broken on her face, and her eyes shone. Or when she was talking to Asun, in a tongue he did not understand, a tongue that they spoke to each other in a very fast manner, she would smile and laugh.

Thralls were not allowed to speak their tongue or any other tongue if their masters were around. They could be killed because of it, if their masters wished it. For the masters, it was a sign of disrespect, and a disrespectful thrall was worth less than an old horse.

But Eirikr did not mind. He loved to hear the sound of their tongue. It sounded like they were singing a song, a very fast song, and there were feelings in the sound, feelings that he rarely could see or hear from Aude.

_If only Aude's eyes shone as bright as hers_, he thought.

Suddenly the sweet smell of the purple reached his nose. He turned around to see if Aude was standing in front of the door, waiting for him. But the door was closed, and nobody was there. Eirikr sighed. He took his hand of her face, and straighted up his body. "If Hjálmarr calls my name, knock on my door, Griselda. We will go to the forest tomorrow. I will need water and some food."

"Yes, Master." the smile disappeared from her face.

Eirikr opened the door to his room, and as quietly as possible, entered the room. He opened his shoes, and then not less quiet he climbed at the bed.

Aude was laying on her side. Her back faced him again.

Eirikr sighed. Tonight would be another night of laying on the bed and stared at the roof again. By now he knew how many tiles the roof of his room there were. Five tiles to the left, and seven tiles to the right, and twice ten from his head to his toe. One of the tiles on the eastern corner was too old already, he had to replace it before the snow came. Otherwise the snow would go in, and it will be too cold inside.

Eirikr turned around, and faced her back away. If she continued doing this to him, may be it would better if he built a new room, and asked Gunnarr to move in. Gunnarr slept in the Long Hall together with the other man of Erlingsäng in these fourteen days. He would have a friend to talk to, and in the long nights like this night, Gunnarr would be willing to tell him stories, and he could sleep.

He closed his eyes. He'd better sleep now. Tomorrow would be a hard day in the forest, crawling on the cold ground, and holding his position so that the animals would hear or sense his presence. Probably he would have to run, or climb, and if they could catch some animals, they had to carry them home. He needed some rest.

But only for a while, then he changed his position. Now he faced her back again. But not like before, this time he could see the part of her neck which was not covered by the bear fur. Her red hair did not cover it either.

Eirikr moved closer to her. He always wanted to touch it. He wondered if it was as soft as it looked. May be he should touch it, and he did. Not with his hand, because he was afraid if it was too cold for her, but with his lips. Slowly he opened his mouth a little bit, and with the inside part of his lips he touched her neck. Warm feeling spread from his lips to the rest of his body, and when his nose sense her scent, the burning feeling between his legs came again, and this time he did not fight it. He dared himself to open the small cords that tied her gown, and gently opened the grown so he could see her back. Her back was white, whiter than her neck. He touched it with his hand, but softer. Much softer than her neck. He kissed her back. His nose touched her spines. And smelled good, very good.

She moved a little bit, but she did not turn around.

Eirikr was more daring. Now his hand followed the shape of her hip. She was not as delicate as he thought. Her hips were full and round, and like a hill, it took him higher. Gently he kissed her hips, higher to her waist, and his hand was bit by bit climbing to the front part, to find her breast. It was small, not even filling his hand, but firm, and tender. Her nipple was hard, and in the deem light, it looked pink.

"Eirikr..." he heard her calling his name.

He looked at her. She was not sleeping after all. Her green eyes looked back at him, bright and shining, showing him what she was having inside her.

"Yes, my lover..." his mouth was coming closer to her breast.

Her finger was suddenly on his mouth. No, she could not stop him this time. He wanted to feel how her breast and her nipple in his mouth tasted. He kissed that finger, and softly took it inside his mouth.

Aude made a sound, a sound like she was in pain, but when he looked at her – her mouth was open, and her eyes were closed, she did not look like she was in pain. Eirikr smiled. He liked that sound. Because she looked like she was in joy!

Suddenly she opened her eyes. She put her fingers out of his mouth again, but to make him stop. With that finger, she touched his lips, gently. Eirikr felt himself getting harder, and his breath getting heavier.

But he did not know what to do. Should he wait for Aude to say something, or should he stop? May be he better continued, because if he had to stop now, his trouser would burst wide open. His erection had been becoming very hard, harder than when he was standing beside the lake.

"Come here," finally she said. Her voice was deep and in command, not soft like normally.

Eirikr pulled himself up, so they were on the same sight now. And before he said anything, she put her finger on his lips, and opened them a bit, and then she kissed him. Her tongue was soft, warm and wet, searching for his tongue. When their tongues met, her tongue wrapped it around, and sucked it.

Now he was the one who made that painful sound. His whole body felt like being sucked by a strong water stream, and he could not do anything else but to trembling hands searched for her breasts, and when they found them, he held her breasts tight, and squeezed them. Aude let her tongue go, and screamed. Eirikr let his hands go, and pulled her body closed to him. Then he opened his trousers, and freed his penis. He held him tight.. when suddenly,

"Master....Master Hjálmarr wishes to see you."

_Curse Hjálmarr_!

He wanted to yell, and say to Aude that Hjálmarr could go anywhere he wanted to go, when he realized Aude was not in his arm, or anywhere near him. He found himself laying on his back, and his hand was on his penis, which was standing and hard, holding him tight. He turned his head around to see Aude.

She was still laying with her back facing him. Her sleeping gown was not opened, and her neck was covered by the hair.

He sighed. It was only a dream.

"I am coming," he said. Slowly he got up. He wondered how Aude's body looked like. Would it be like in his dream?

For a while Eirikr sat on the edge of the bed, waited for his body to calm down, and got his head clear. He took a deep breath, then got off from the bed. It would be a hard day indeed!

*********

A falcon was sitting on a small branch, about two branches away from Eirikr. It looked at him with its sharp bold deep blue almost black eyes, meanwhile its blue beak moved to the right and the left, as if it had calculated whether he was a hunter or a hunted.

Beautiful birds, the falcons. They could float on the air, looked down below, and could dive fast, faster than any spear which was thrown by the strongest man in Erlingsäng, to catch their preys with their might claws. Their blue grey feather would be spread across the sky, and their white chest shone like snow on the top of the mountain. Their blue beaks, as beautiful as they were, they were also dangerous weapons which could pick and catch anything that moved. Their eyes were normally blue, surrounded by yellow feathers. They were big and bold, sharp, sharper than any eyes of men Eirikr ever saw, and they never blinked. Or they seemed to be.

Vidarr loved falcons. When he had managed to catch one, he had trained her into his helper in hunting and sending messages.

_How do you know it was a female? _He asked.

_Because it is bigger than the male one. _Vidarr answered. _The male falcons are not much bigger than the crows. And you have to catch them meanwhile they are still young. It is easier to make them do what you want._

Vidarr had had more than one falcon. Because the falcons did not live longer than a winter, Vidarr would have caught a new one before the older one died.

Eirikr forgot if Vidarr had ever said whether falcons were afraid to men or not. Because this one was obviously not.

At the beginning, he thought it was only his feeling again when he thought somebody was following him. And then he saw something moving between the trees. That was when he saw it. Flying from one tree to the other, as if it followed them. Hjálmarr, Försten, Egill, and him.

They had left the village early. It was always better to go to the forest as early as possible. Because the hordes of animal would gather around the source of water for drinking. And the more animals they could catch, the better it would be.

But there was not a single animal they saw that day. Hjálmarr who knew the forest like the back of his hand shook his head many times. They had been to small ponds in the forests, but there was no single traces of animals, not a step, not even their drop.

Eirikr decided to climb to see the forest from above. Such a mighty sight. To the North, he could see the blue colour of Vänern, spanning her beauty as far as his could see. To the East, South, and West, were trees. Big, tall trees. Their leaves were like fingers, tying each other and changing themselves into some kind of roof, protecting the ground from the sunlight. Among the trees, he could see small streams which ended in Vänern.

Suddenly the falcon moved its head to the left. _It saw something._

Eirikr did the same. He looked to the left. On the far East, he saw a horde of boars and deers, surrounded a small pond.

"Thank you, good falcon." he said, and laughed. Silly him. Of course, it did not understand.

"What did you see, Eirikr?" Arnbiorn asked. His loud voice sound so far away.

"Boars, and deers!"

He heard laughters from down below. Eirikr smiled. Yes, it was a good after all. He started climbing down, when suddenly the falcon flew to East. He stopped, and looked to the East. There was a shadow moved.

A Göter?

As ordered, only a few men may leave the village. The rest had to stay, to build the houses, and to protect from any attack from The Göter.

And today, the council allowed only four of them, and nobody else.

The shadow moved fast between the trees.

"Eirikr, may be you'd rather go down and share with us the place of the hordes than sit up there on the tree?"

Eirikr climbed down.

"Do tell, where did you see them?"

"On the East."

Försten's face suddenly turned white.

"What is wrong, good Försten? Do you not trust my words?"

"I do, young Eirikr." he said. "But East was where I saw the preys of the beasts. Have you forgotten where we had been, some nights ago?"

"True," Egill said. "It was on the East where we faced our perils."

"What shall we do?" asked Eirikr. "We could not go home empty handed."

"Indeed, we could not." said Hjálmarr. "For two days I have been hunting, and there was not a day where I could bring red meat home. Were we not able today, I am afraid, the women and the children would have to go to bed with empty stomachs in winter."

"Alas people of Torkelfors." said Egill. "Gods have been unkind to them this winter."

Hjálmarr tapped Egill's shoulders. "Come, Brother. Today, we will bring fresh red meat home, so much, that our women would beg us to stop hunting for their hands could not skin and slice the meat anymore! We shall not let them and our children sleep with empty stomach!"

Egill smiled widely, his eyes were brighter. "Aye, let's do that!"

Swiftly they ran between the trees to the East. The light was getting less and less as they went deeper and deeper. The air was wet, and cold. They had to run carefully, unless they wanted to fall. Near to the pond, they walked as soft as possible. No sudden movement, and not a sound.

There were three boars and six deers drinking.

Hjálmarr gave Eirikr sign to go around the water, and chase the deers away and the boars away from the water, and lead them to their place. They would waiting for the animals with their arrows and axes.

Eirikr nodded, and moved quietly around the pond. As if the deers knew that he was coming, they lifted their heads and looked at his direction. Avoiding the deer from running to other direction, Eirikr jumped and started making noises, to chase away the animals from the water. And like blitz, the deer and the boars ran off.

"Heiya!!!" he waved his bow around . "Hjálmarr!!! They're coming!!!"

The forest then was filled with sounds. The sounds of the hooves, the broken branches, and the heavy breathing, mixed with the sounds of men and their running feet. The deer jumped as high and as fast as they could, to avoid the lines of arrow and axes. The boars ran blindly to any direction,.

Egill was very good with throwing his ax. He hit one of the boars, but the beast ran even faster. He had to run away from the boar, because a wounded boar would be very dangerous. It had sharp tusks, and it was not shy to use them. After some arrows from Försten on its neck and stomach, finally it fell down. Eirikr himself managed to hit a deer with an ax, and his arrow hit some trees, but not the animals. Hjálmarr killed two deers, and together with Försten, they brought down another boars.

Quickly they tied the animals around the legs, and made them ready to be carried home.

"We need more men." Hjálmarr said. "If we have to carry them all back home, we will not reach the village before Mid-Evening. True is my word, I don't want to stay in the forest after dark."

"Nobody shall be left behind." said Försten. "I don't trust this forest anymore."

"No, I stay." Hjálmarr. "You can return and ask some men to come."

"I'll stay." said Eirikr. "I can run fast. And I can draw sword." Eirikr continued before the other raised their voices. "Hjálmarr would not be strong enough to carry the rest of our preys, if you don't come after the night falls."

"Then it shall be." said Egill. "But do not wait until the night falls. In Mid-Evening, if we do not come, you have to leave. We do not know what dwells in this forest anymore. It used to be a friendly place, but now, I fear, _Hel _has brought her children to this place."

Egill and Försten hang the biggest boar on a wooden stick, then carried it to the village, leaving Hjálmarr and Eirikr behind.

"We have to take the animals nearer to the village, Eirikr." said Hjálmarr. "I do not have a good feeling about this place. Let's tie the boar on a stick, and two deers on another stick. The other deer can be carried by one man."

First they carried the boar some paces forward, then they returned for the deer.

"You indeed have good eyes, Eirikr." Hjálmarr said. "And by Odin, you can climb!"

"I was helped." said Eirikr.

"Helped?"

"Yes, by a falcon."

Hjálmarr looked at him. "A falcon? Falcons do not like winter. They always search for warm places during winter. And I can feel it in my bones, winter is coming. The falcons must have been gone since long ago."

Eirikr looked up above. He did not see any movement among the trees, but the movement of the leaves. By Thor he swore, he did saw a falcon!

When they reached the place where the deers were, Eirikr saw that there were only two left. He drew his sword. Somebody was here.

Hjálmarr did the same thing. He looked around. "Had you seen anybody when you were hiding, Eirikr?"

Eirikr shook his head. "But I saw a shadow moved between the trees when I was above."

They were staying alert for a while, then Hjálmarr told Eirikr to sheathe the sword and helped him to carry the deers.

They continued doing it, until they were back under the tree which Eirikr climbed on. Eirikr asked Hjálmarr to have some rest, because he could not carry the animals anymore. His back ached, and his legs were so painful that he thought they had been broken.

Hjálmarr's face was red, sweat ran down his head like rain. But he looked relief. Finally, he said. They had food enough for the first month of the winter. "After that, we have to see what we can hunt."

Eirikr nodded. He leaned on the tree. He closed his tiredness from lack of sleep and running and carrying such a heavy load came over him. He could have slept, right now, in the forest. Like what he had done many times in Erlingsäng, when he had been tired from hunting or playing in the forest.

"Be keen, Eirikr." Hjálmar said. "It is dangerous to lose your guard in this forest."

Again, Eirikr nodded.

"Lately I have seen you with heavy thoughts, young Eirikr. Wandering around in the night, the food did not please you anymore, and you did not share too many words. Indeed, you are not Alvar's son who seems never lack of words. But not too little either. Is there something that bothering you, Brother?"

Eirikr looked at Hjálmar. Must he tell, what he felt about Aude, how cold his bed in the night had been for the last fourteen days?

"I had known your brother all my life, Eirikr. You and Vidarr might have had different looks, but by Odin, you are like him, more than you thought."

_What does he mean?_

"Eirikr, if you might think that your golden hair, and your slim figure would differ you from Vidarr, then you are wrong. Indeed his hair was as red as many of us, and his figure was built and broad for many winters had he spent for hunting, planting and fighting. But he was a man without many words, and would keep every troubles he had in his mind. He would spend most of the time wandering, and stay away from the rest of us. Just like you. His love for me and Björn was as much as your love for Gunnarr and Hallsteinn. And like you, he also had love for trees, birds, water. Do you not know that since you were here, you spent most of the time where you should have a rest, in your woman's garden? Planting, picking up flowers, watching your woman making food, just like Vidarr? Of course you did not know, how would you know, you were not here!

So speak, Brother! I beg you!"

For a moment, Eirikr hesitated, but then, like a waterfall he told Hjálmarr what happened in his house.

"I do not ask her to love me or to take me the way she had loved and taken Vidarr, nor I wish to be him. I just want her to tell me what I should do to please her. Because by Odin, I will do it. It hurts me as much as it hurts her to see her walking on this land with such sorrow. And if by being there is hurting her, then I am willing to leave, to return to Erlingsäng." and the last word stabbed Eirikr like a sword. Would he do that, leave the woman whom he desired so much? If yes, why the thought of it already made his heart heavy and shivered? As if he wanted to calm his own heart, he screamed. "What a doom indeed, to have a woman whose heart belongs to another man!"

"Sometimes, we do not see the things they are, because we wish them to be something else." Hjálmarr put his hand on Eirikr's shoulder. "But to ease your heavy thoughts, I will tell you the secret Vidarr shared with me. Their hearts were getting colder to each other after the second winter. Vidar told me, there were many nights that he thought of leaving Aude, for she could not bear a heir for him."

"Vidarr wanted to leave her?" Eirikr looked Hjálmarr in disbelief. "Did Aude know that?"

"A woman is not a fool. Aude surely knew that. Vidarr bought a young thrall a winter after their marriage. Surely she knew what it means."

"Griselda was Vidarr's woman? But I heard Vidarr did not want to take a thrall to replace Aude."

"True, he did not want to marry the thrall, but he visited her bed in many nights. A man has to have a heir to continue his family line. He loved Aude, but he needed a heir, and doomed Aude for not to be able to give him."

"And neither Griselda." Eirikr sighed. "But why is she so deep in grief, and does not want to let the ghost of Vidarr go, if her heart was getting colder?"

"Guilt, for not having a heir. And because she was the reason why Vidarr stayed in the village. Before the attack, Aude was ill. Vidarr was supposed to go sailing with the men, but he decided to stay. Their bed might be cold, but he had generous heart. He would not leave his woman sick on the bed alone. _There will still be plenty of time, where we can sail together, Brother. _That was his last word to me.

The men and I left the village heading to East. We heard there is a king of Rus who needed men to join him to go the East, to a far away land. Torkelfors needs new land, new friends. We can not stand and fight the Göter without end. We need time to raise our children, made our brothers prosper. In the middle of the way, we saw Vidarr's falcon. She brought the news from her master, an ill news, a red rope was tied in her claw. A sign from Vidarr that Torkelfors was in danger. We turned our ship around, and returned as fast as we could. It was the sixth day when we reached the river of Torkelfors. And the Göter had awaited us in the forest. They had found the women and children hiding place, and slaughtered them, and one of them had told the Göter that a ship would come for aid, that's why they had been ready for us.

We fought like we never fought before. Our hearts were broken seeing our children and women were slaughtered like animals, and laid bare for our eyes to see. We became reckless, and weak. From almost a hundred men of Torkelfors, only forty left. And only few women and children survived. They were hidden by Aude in her cafe, somewhere near Thor's water. Vidarr and Aude should have stayed in the cave, and not left it. But the food was too little for them, and they wanted to look for others to save. Alas, their ways had laid differently. In the forest, Vidarr had met his bane." he took a deep breath. His eyes were red and wet. "What a brother I was to forsake another brother when he needed the most?"

"But it was not her fault, nor yours, that Vidarr stayed. Had he gone, there would be no man left, but those who have too many winter already. There would have been more victims."

"You can not tell what a woman should feel, young Eirikr." Hjálmarr wiped out his face. "And having you on her bed, on Vidarr's place, bring his ghost back to live. You might not have his appearance, but you are his brother. You can not help but to do things in the way he did. To love her, no matter what." suddenly he smiled. "May be not exactly like Vidarr. Because I never saw a man who follows a woman with his eyes, like a puppy follows his master."

Eirikr felt his face hot. Was it too clear to see?

"You still have a lot of things to learn, Eirikr." Hjálmarr stood up. "But you are young, you have time. Come, Eirikr. We shall finish our rest. The closer we are to the village, the better we will be."

Eirikr nodded. Yes, and later if he saw Aude, he would tell her, that she should mourn for her man as long as she wanted, he would wait. Like what she said the day before they got married. He should have waited. And wait, he would.

They lifted the boar again, and walked some pace forward, when they heard somebody running towards them.

Quickly they put the boar down, and drew their swords. "Stay close to me, Eirikr." said Hjálmarr.

Eirikr nodded.

The steps were getting closer.

"Don't charge!" they heard somebody yelled. "It's me, Hamr!"

They looked at each other. Hamr?

"Don't low your sword, Eirikr." said Hjálmarr. "It could be the forest's trick."

From behind the tree, a shadow appeared. It was Hamr, wearing nothing but his trousers. What had come into him?

Hamr was catching his breath. "Alas...The Göter...they are attacking us...they are coming from the lake...we....

Without waiting for Hamr to finish his words, Eirikr ran. The lake?! Aude!!

"Eirikr!" he heard Hjálmarr calling his name, but Eirikr did not stop. Nothing on this land or in Asgard that could make him stop running . Aude, he had to find Aude.

***********************


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Sookie held tight her knees. She did not expect that Eric's life story would be more thrilling than the story of Julia, when she was chased by Mrs. Andrea Patrick's people (Eric had released her, and asked her to sit, because she had moved too much. It's nerving and disturbing my concentration, he said). She could not forget how Julia had to climb the hill to escape from them, and the last minute, when the man who chased her pointed the gun to her face, (and that was the most beautiful scene she ever read) Samuel came for rescue, even when it meant he endangered himself, because he did not have a gun with him. Of course the police was behind him, but Samuel was so brave to sacrifice himself for his love.

"Did you save her? Did you managed to kill the man who wanted to attack her, or at least convincing him to leave her alone?"

Eric looked at her. His eyebrows were lifted. "I did not say that there was a man who wanted to attack her." he was sitting at the edge of the sofa. His toe touched Sookie's leg. Softly. "You read too many cheap romance books."

_He is right, _thought Sookie. _He did not say anything about saving Aude...yet._

"And if I wanted to, _convinced him – whomever he was_, I could not. I did not speak their language. And he did not come for a nice conversation, otherwise he would not have brought his sword with him." His toe was higher, now it was on Sookie's thigh.

Sookie stopped that toe from moving higher. Eric smiled. "Come," Sookie said. "Some minutes ago you didn't want me to touch you, now you start it. Like you said, don't start things you don't want to continue." and somehow Sookie regret that she had said that. Knowing Eric, he would come to her and using his word, _finished what he had started. _There would be no way that he finished his story, and Sookie was not sure if his mood would not change tomorrow.

Eric lowed his toe. The smile disappeared from his face.

"How did you do it, then?" Sookie asked. "I mean, how did you recognized your enemies. It must have been dark. There was electricity back then, wasn't it?"

Eric smirked. "Sookie, Sookie!" he shook his head. "I started learning how to read when I was in Constantinople, around 100 years after I was turned. But a bit history of _human _I learned also, to get along with _your kind." _Eric's voice sounded so disgusted by the word _human _and _your kind. _"But you, as _human, _have no idea at all about how the world evolves?"

Sookie shrugged her shoulder. "Constantinople?"

"You know it as Istanbul now, in Turkey."

"Turkey?"

"A country, somewhere in southern Europe. Sookie, don't you know anything about the world at all?"

"Hellooo, I am just a waitress. Remember?"

With a blink of an eye, Eric's face was very closed to Sookie's. His face looked stern, his eyes were flickering, and his fangs were out. Sookie was taken back. She held her breath. In any minute, those fangs could go deep in her throat, and it could mean to kill. What had she said that offended him?!

"There is no excuse for your laziness of learning." and then he smiled. The sternness on his face was gone, as fast as it appeared. His fangs were in. "Yes, you are a waitress, but it's only your job, not you as a human, as a woman." he touched her face, gently. "Even Griselda had a will to learn."

"Griselda, your slave?"

"My slave, my woman."

Sookie's eyes got wider. If she had been shocked by Eric's unexpected reaction toward her sentence about being a waitress, it was nothing comparing to this one."You slept with her?! Knowing that your wife had problem with her?"

"I did, long after Aude was gone. I was lonely, and she loved me." he smiled.

_He was lonely, and she loved him. Why does it sound like he was saying about me?_

"There are always women who love me, or want me. Why not?" he said, then he kissed her, passionately. Sookie moaned. Eric always 'attacked' her when she expected the least. Suddenly he stopped, and moved away, returned to his place, at the edge of the sofa. He licked his own fangs, which were out again.

Sookie asked herself, how could Eric survive the fourteen days of his life, where he had had a woman, but what he could do was only laying, dreaming of sexing her and touching himself. It must have been a torture for him, knowing how he acted in front of her.

She looked at him, from his head down to his toe. Sitting there, touching his hair. The light that fell on his arms, his ribs, clearly showed how firm the muscles under that body were. His skin was white, marble white, and the shape of the muscles, made him looked like a statue created by a master from the past.

"You love me, don't you Sookie?"

Sookie caught her breath. She raised her head. Did she? Even if she did, she would not say it. Eric had to say it first. Because she did not want to be just another woman passing through in his life. And one day he would say to a woman the same sentence. _I was lonely, and she loved me. _Only this time, it would be her name that mentioned. Not Griselda, Victoria, Mary, Louise, and who knew what else.

"What do you think?" she said.

"I don't think." he said. "I sense it."

"Well, Mister. Then your senses mislead you."

"Do they?" He stood up, grabbed her body, and before Sookie could protest, he took her or flew with her, Sookie did not know exactly. But the next thing she knew, they were on the bed, big bed covered with egg blue silk mixed with mocha colored sheet. The pillows and the rolling pillows were wrapped in materials with the same motive. Combination of flowers and leaves. Venetian motive, that's what Eric said. Pam had bought the bedding for them, as soon as she knew that Sookie would move in with Eric. And she knew how to please Eric. Only the best for her master.

Sookie would not even have had the idea to lay her finger on it, let alone to sleep on it, if she had owned the bed. They were so beautiful!

And yet, now she was laying on the bed, returning Eric's every kiss and touch, threw the pillows and the blanket down to the floor.

Suddenly Eric stopped, then rolled himself off.

Sookie caught her breath. Anger came to her mind. What did Eric try to prove, that he could take her whenever he wanted?! Obviously, he could. He just proved it. But that was not the point. Some minutes ago, Eric had complained and pissed because she left him alone in her thought meanwhile he was all over her. And now, he was the one who left her cold. What was this? Revenge?!

He was laying on his side. His hand supported his head. His finger was on her neck, ran on her shoulder, than her breast. As if her breast had a mind of its own, she reacted happily. The nipple was hard and standing. "You do love me." he said.

"You've mistaken sex for love." Sookie snapped it. She got up.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"Home." Sookie stepped down from the bed.

"But this is your home." Eric caught her hand.

"Oh really?!"

"What are you so angry about?" he said.

Yes, what was she so angry about? The fact that Eric could _take _her whenever he wanted, or was it because Eric stopped in the middle of _the action?!_

"Did you hear what I said? This is your home." Eric repeated.

"So?"

"That you are the first woman who shares my bed and my home after Aude is not important for you?"

"Oh come on, Eric. Don't sell me for a fool. You had Griselda, Victoria, Louise, Chen...oh what the heck do I know about your women?!"

"True, I had women." he smirked. "And true that you know nothing of. But they never shared my bed nor my home. Not even Griselda."

Sookie looked at him. _Really?_

"I built a room beside our house for Griselda. But she never slept on Aude's bed, and I never took her there." he said. "And by the way, I never slept with a woman named Chen."

Sookie felt her cheeks hot. They must have been red.

"True, there was a Chinese woman, but her name was not Chen." he smiled and reached out his hand. "Come," he said. "It's cold here." he hit the bed softly.

Cold?!

The room was huge, with the bed as the central of it. On each of its side was a night desk, with brass lamp on it. Opposite to the bed was a sofa, 'a love chair' that's how Eric called it. _Why do you call it that. _Sookie remembered asking. _Because we're gonna make love on there. Now." _Eric answered at that time. And they had done it, make love on that sofa, not only that time, several times after that too.

And the walls were padded. There was no window either. This room was not above the ground, but under the ground. It was just like a hole, but a very comfortable hole. The air circulation was made by putting an air conditioner installation.

Okay, there was noway that the sunlight would enter the room, and it would be very dark as soon as the light were switched off. But cold? This room was even warmer than her own room in Gran's house! Eric had set the temperature on 71 degree for her, and her room in Gran's house was only around 65 degree.

Eric blinked his eyes, and pouted his mouth. "Snälla...?"

Well, if there was a Swedish word that she understood, then it was _snälla,_ or please. He said it to her only if he tried to apologize, which was rarely done. And it made her smile, every time he did it, which could be counted with fingers, by the way. And if she was not mistaken, some fingers were still missing. And somehow Eric looked sweet if he did it. Sweet? Eric? Oh, she must have been losing her mind!

She climbed back to the bed.

Eric took the blanket and spread it on them. "The moon must be very low now, it's almost morning." he said. "I can feel it."

"Do you want to sleep?" Sookie asked.

"No." he said. "I want to stay awake until the day is over. I don't want to miss this day. Strange, that a day could bring joy and sadness at the same time."

Sookie held him tight. There was no sign of lust or desire at all. Usually, if she held him tight like that, then he would answer it with crawling his finger all over her back, following the shape of her body, before gently went down between her legs.

She looked up to see his face. His blue eyes were closed. Hmh, he was remembering his past again. How could Eric control his lust or his hormones the way he did was a mystery to her. As if he was a machine with a lot of buttons. She could search which one of the buttons was the one which controlled the machine the whole day, she would not be able to find it. Not that she was familiar with any machine anyway, but somehow that was an impression that she got. He must have had a button somewhere that controlled his whole emotions, his whole being. She had just to find it.

"So, what happened then, with the battle and all? Did you managed to find Aude?"

Eric opened his eyes. "Yes." he said. "And others too."

"Others? You mean Gunnarr, Griselda and the others?"

He smiled. "Them too."

**************


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Black smoke was rising as Eirikr reached the place which he recognized to be used to be the gate. There was no gate anymore, but two pieces of wood laying on the ground. The sound of scream, clunk of metal met, and the burning wood mixed together created a sound that he never heard before. It was like a sound of a big angry beast, and somehow it terrified him. His hand held the sword firmly, but he knew, it was shaken.

The sun was setting on the West, covering the meadow with darkness. Eirikr could not really see, but the figures which raised their swords and charged each other were shown clearly like shadow of leaves moved in the strong wind. Eirikr could not tell which ones were his Svear brothers and which ones were the Göter, because they had the same skin and colour of hair. The only things that helped him differing his Svear brothers from the Göter were the tongue they spoke, and their clads.

The Göter had different fashion. They wore chain armour, and under their tunic, they wore nothing. Their legs were bare, and covered only with shoes. Their swords were broad, their shields were long and pointed.

He took a deep breath. "Odin, I call thy name. Bless my sword and let Thor lend his hammer to me." he murmured.

And then he ran inside and charged his sword.

The sound of his sword met with the sword of a Göter was so loud that his elbow rang with pain. But so was the Göter's arm, or it seemed to be.

The Göter's reaction brought courage to Eirikr's heart. _Steady, _he told himself. Keenly he watched his enemy moved. Every steps he made, Eirikr followed with his eyes and his sword. And when the Göter stroke his sword, firmly he cut the stroke, and then with a swift movement he swung his sword from his hip across to the head of the Göter. Clunk. His sword met the sword of the Göter, and it fell. Without waiting any longer, he stabbed his stomach. The Göter screamed, and fell to the ground.

Eirikr put his foot on his stomach, pressed his sword to make sure that The Göter dead, when he felt a strong wind came from the back. He drew his sword out of the Göter's stomach, and like a blitz he turned around with his sword thrust forward.

Then he heard somebody scream.

Another Göter fell.

Eirikr withdrew his sword out of his body, and looked around. He must find Aude.

"Eirikr!" He heard Gunnarr's voice. But where was he? In this scream and smoke he could not see anything anymore. Then he was somebody running toward him. Gunnarr. Blood was all over his clad.

"Eirikr, I saw Aude run to Thor's water followed by some Göter. Let's go Eirikr. We have stop them from reaching the water. There are many women and children there..."

Without waiting for his sentence to end, Eirikr ran. Along the way he swung his sword against anybody who came near to him. He heard somebody scream, he also felt his skin burned when something touched his body. But he kept on running. He had to reach the waterfall, he had to find Aude before it's too late.

Entering the forest on the North he saw a figure surrounded by four other figures. Strangely, the figure in the middle was laughing. He recognized from his laugh, it was Olaf. He wanted to come to them to give aid, when he heard Gunnarr's voice.

"Leave him, Eirikr. Olaf is a master of his own." he said.

And Gunnarr was right. He could not believe his eyes when he saw how Olaf charged the men. Like throwing leaves or dry wood, Olaf took one of them by hand and threw him around, and then he charged the other two. The next thing what he heard was a scream. He did not know whether it was from Olaf or from The Göter.

"Quick, Eirikr! Don't just stand there!" Gunnarr dragged his hand. Eirikr followed Gunnarr entering the forest. He turned around for the last time to see if Olaf could really master his own. In the mist of shadow and smoke, he saw Olaf biting one of the men. And then he heard a growling sound, like a sound of a wol0f.

"Gunnarr...did you see that..."

But Gunnarr was not there anymore, he was far in the front.

Eirikr ran faster, and caught Gunnarr being charged by a Göter. Not far away from him was Aude and Griselda. Back to back they were standing, against two Göter. In their hands were something which looked like daggers.

Eirikr ran toward them and charging them. He moved as fast and as strong as he could, against two Göter. In his head, Dagr's word rang. Moved like a butterfly, and used the sword as his hand. Swift and strong. Became one with the sword, and understood him.

"Master!" he heard Griselda calling his name. In front of him was two Göter, laying, dead. "You're hurt."

Eirikr looked at his body and realized, the burning feeling was from his arms which was slashed. It was not deep, for he could still move it, but the burning feeling was stronger.

"I am fine, Griselda." he said. He looked at her. It looked like Griselda was also fine. And then at Aude. She was standing some steps away from him. Her dagger was still firmly held. "Aude," he said.

"I am fine, Eirikr." she said. "But you're hurt."

"Yes, but the cut is not deep." he said. "Where are the children?"

"In the caves." Aude said.

"We'd better to the caves." Gunnarr's voice was heard. He was standing near his opponent who was now laying on the ground. His voice was hoarse from heavy breathing.

"I will return to the battle after you are all in the caves." Eirikr said.

"Somebody has to guard the children, Eirikr." Gunnarr came near. "Arnvidr said. We should not let them alone. Arnvidr did not wish the same thing happened again."

Aude looked at Gunnarr. "You talked to my father?"

Gunnarr did not answer. And then he murmured something like, "...not really..."

Eirikr wanted to ask what he meant with 'not really', but there was not neither the right moment nor the place to ask that now. He knew Gunnarr well enough to tell that he was telling the truth. "Then it shall be," finally he said. "Lead the way, Aude."

Aude lead them to the waterfall. In the darkness they moved, and yet Aude walked like she walked on the road like in day light. No stones was wrongly stepped, nor trees which were run into.

The sound of the waterfall brought peacefulness in Eirikr's heart. He should have not felt that. There was a battle down in the village. He should have not felt peaceful.

Aude stopped. "We have to be sure nobody is following us." she said.

Eirikr looked around to see. But it was too dark to see. And the sound of the waterfall was too loud for him to hear any sound.

After for awhile standing there, Aude took his hand, and asked him to continue. "We have to go under the water." she whispered in his ears.

_Under the water?_

They went down to the pond, and dived.

For a moment the sound of the waterfall disappeared. Eirikr felt like entering a block of snow. The water was cold, and cutting his skin like thousand knives. Especially on his arms. It was like somebody lighted fire on it. "Aaaaaargh!" he screamed when his head emerged from the water.

Gunnarr helped him out from the water. "Are you alright, Brother?" he asked.

Eirikr looked around him. To his surprise, he was standing on a dry ground behind the waterfall. It looked like there was a huge place behind the waterfall, which could be used as a hiding place. And it was bright, not as bright as day, but brighter than outside. Somebody has put a torch on the wall.

"After the last attack, we decided to use this cave as a hiding place for the women and children." Aude said. "It will be more safe to hide here and wait for somebody to pick us, then to come and look for them."

Eirikr nodded. A wise thought indeed.

"Come, I will show you the way." Aude said.

The cave was like a long hall with small rooms on each side. Each room was round, and from stone. They were dark. Eirikr thought it would be wet, but no, the wall of the stone room was dry. It was strange indeed, since the waterfall was not even ten paces away from them.

"How do you know which stone rooms are with people?" he asked Aude.

"I knew this stone rooms since I was a child. I can differ them from its shape and colour. Therefore this cave is called Aude's cave. Nobody else knew this cave like I do."

_Aude's cave. It is indeed an honour to be inside it._

Aude stopped, then she turned left.

The stone room was as dark as the other. But there was some smell in the air. Smell of sweat and breath. Just like the smell of animals when they were trying to hide from him.

"It is alright," Aude said. "I am Aude daughter of Arnvidr with my thrall. I am accompanied by my husband and his brother."

Something warm crept inside Eirikr. _She just called me 'my husband'._ Thought Eirikr. This was the second time she did it. First when they spoke their vows in the marriage ceremony, and now.

Slowly the stone room was getting brighter. And Eirikr could see some faces of children, women, and old men. They were all looking at them with fear in their eyes.

"We need more men." said Gunnarr. "Is there any of you who can hold a sword?"

Some of the boys and old men raised their hands. Eirikr could see all of them were shaken.

"I will return." Gunnarr said. "I will bring some swords for you."

"I'll come with you." said Eirikr.

"No." Gunnarr said. "You are hurt, Eirikr. Going under the water will make your arms worse. And I move faster without you."

"But..."

"He is right, Eirikr." Aude said. "You are hurt. Come, I will try to stop your bleeding." she took his hand.

Eirikr and Gunnarr looked at each other, and nodded. Then Gunnarr left.

Eirikr followed Aude without saying a word anymore. _Is it wrong to feel light and blessed, _he thought. _In this time of trouble, I feel nothing but joy?_

And it was all because Aude touching him. She did not only look at him, but also touched him and worried about his wound.

Aude took him to another stone room. It was a smaller room than the one they had been in before, but filled with clothes, food, and jars.

"How did you bring them here without getting wet?" Eirikr asked.

"There are other entrance doors. I will show you in different time." Aude took a cloth, and a jar. "Griselda, I will need some water." she said.

"Yes, Master." Griselda took a jar, and then left.

Eirikr looked at Aude. He did not know how, but Aude seemed to be a different person now. She was no longer a soft being he had seen these days, a soft being who was deep in her grief, but she became like a mother-deer who tried to protect her fawns. Strong, and alert.

"Don't look at me like that." her voice reached his ears. Her face was red, and she looked oddly uncomfortable.

Eirikr smiled. Her face was red! It was indeed a blessed day for him. He wanted to touch that reddish cheek, but suddenly the stone room was turning. Everything was slowly blurred and disappeared. Darkness fell upon his eyes. "Eirikr", he heard Aude calling his name, and that was the last thing he knew.

When Eirikr opened his eyes, he was in another stone room. There was no cloth or jar. He was on the ground, laying. Aude and Griselda were by his side. Griselda was sobbing, and Aude was looking at him with fear in her eyes.

"What happened?" he asked.

"I think you lost too much blood, Eirikr." Aude said. "Suddenly you fell, like a dry leave."

Eirikr looked at his arm. It was wrapped with a cloth.

"The wound was not that big, Master, but you surely lost a lot of blood" Griselda said. "Master Aude and I had cleaned it and put some herbs on it. It will not be getting worse."

"Then why are you crying, silly thrall?" Eirikr touched her hand. "Do you think I am not strong enough to be your Master?"

Griselda wiped off her tears. A smile was on her face. "No, Master. I am afraid that you will not need me anymore."

Eirikr sat. He felt weak, but his head was clear. Only he felt very hungry. He realized, he did not eat since the day break. Did he just faint because he had not eaten? "I am hungry." he said.

"I will get some food for you, Master." Griselda said, and then left.

He followed her with his eyes. He prayed that Griselda did not notice that he fainted because of hunger. He would not gain any respect from her anymore, knowing how weak he was.

"You please her eyes, and her heart." Aude said.

Eirikr looked at her. There was something in her voice that told him that Aude did not like what she said herself. "I am her Master," Eirikr said. "Do I...please you?"

Aude did not answer.

Eirikr felt his heart sunk. "Am I only worth for thralls, Aude?"

Aude looked at him. "No, Eirikr."

"Then why I can not please you? Why you don't allow me to please you? Is there anything you want me to do, say the word, Woman, and I will do it. Do you want me to leave, do you want...." before Eirikr could continue his words, Aude grabbed his head, and took his mouth with hers.

For a moment Eirikr froze. Aude was kissing him. He never thought or wished that this would happen. Yes, he wanted it, he wanted it so much, but here, in this stone room, in the middle of the battle? He opened his eyes widely. He wanted to be sure that it was not the trick of the stone room or the herbs that they put on his wound, or worse, another dream.

But no, it was not a dream. For Aude kissed him softly and gently, touched every part of his lips, caressed them like the way she touched one of her flowers. In his dream, she had sucked his tongue, but no, she was not doing it. Her body was closed to his, but not closed enough. He wanted to feel it, he wanted to see if it was like in his dreams.

Eirikr grabbed her neck, and returned the kisses she was giving him. If these would be the only kisses she gave, then he did not want it to end. He searched for her tongue and when he found it, he sucked it with all his might. Just like in his dream, it was soft, warm and wet.

When they let each other go, Eirikr could see how red Aude face was. He touched that face gently. "I love you, Aude." he said. "Since the first day I saw you, beside Vänern, under the moon...I felt like I was in Asgard, going astray..."

"Ssst..." Aude put her finger on his lips. "Take off your clad." she said. "You are all wet."

Eirikr took of his tunic. His silver pendant was glimmering under the light. He put his tunic aside.

Aude touched the pendant. "Pendant of a woman," she said.

"Yes, a völva gave it to me." Eirikr buried his nose in Aude's hair. Her scent, the scent that drove him mad, was so closed to his nose, he could almost touched it, was awaking his senses. "She said, if I left Erlingsäng, my heart would be cursed by a woman beside Vänern...oh indeed, how my heart was cursed the moment I laid my eyes on you..."

Aude's green eyes met his. "Cursed? No, Master. He is owned."

Eirikr smiled. _Yes, owned, by you, Aude daughter of Arnvidr, woman of Eirikr son of Magnus. _He grabbed her neck, and kissed her again.

"My gown is wet." Aude whispered in his ears. "Take it off."

Without waiting for another word, Eirikr took off her gown. Her skin did not looked so pale under the deem light. But delicate just the same. Her breasts were small, and round. Trembling, he touched them. They were soft and tender, but her nipples were hard.

Aude laid herself down. Eirikr followed her, and when his chest touched her breasts, he felt himself getting harder and harder. Softly he kissed her mouth, and her neck, down to her shoulder. The scent from her underarms was strong, it was not the sweet scent that he knew, but it smell good just the same. He went down to her breast, and he took her nipple in his mouth. It was getting harder, gently he bit it.

"Eirikr!" he heard Aude moaned. He liked that finally he heard that sound. The sound of pain and joy, mixed together. It aroused him more. He kissed it again and again, meanwhile his hand holding the other breast tight. Aude was panting and moaning, her hand was on his shoulder, ran down on his back, her legs squeezed his hips, and when her feet were removing his trousers, he took his hand off her breast, and helping her removing his own trousers.

And then he continued kissing her breasts, his hands ran down to her hips, which were full and round, just like in his dream, only soft and plummy. And when he follow the line of her hips down, he touched something warm and wet. He looked up to see Aude. She was smiling, and giving him a look that he should see what he just touched.

He went down to see, then he smelled a scent, the sweetest scent that ever reached his nose. A scent which he could not describe what that reminded him of, but it was capturing his senses, his whole body. And he saw something between her legs. He did not know what it's called, but surely it was one of the most beautiful things he ever saw. Like leaves of flowers, layering each other, with very delicate shape.

_Is this what Dagr meant with "woman's beam?" _

Gently he touch it. It was soft and warm. Then he kissed it, he wanted to taste it. Carefully he licked it. Oh, it tasted stronger than any mead he ever drank, it was so strong that he felt his blood boiling and his bones cracking.

He heard Aude moaning. Eirikr looked at her, she looked back at him. Her green eyes were flickering like they were made of green fire stones. He smiled, and continued kissing it.

The stone room became quiet. There was no other sound but the sound of his kisses.

"Come here, Eirikr." Aude said. Her voice was trembling.

Eirikr gave it one more kiss, before he went up and took her mouth. Aude returned his kiss passionately. Eirikr wondered how could she hide her feelings, if the way she kissed him was like a child who had not eaten sweet for a long time. Fast and greedy, afraid if somebody else might taken them. Her free hand was running down on his bottom, and then slipping to between his legs, holding his erection, and leading him in. Eirikr felt like he was entering a tunnel and sucked in. His whole body was shaken, and if Aude had not put her hands on his cheeks, he would have fallen upon her body.

Softly she kissed him. "Move slowly, Eirikr." she whispered.

He did what she said. Slowly and carefully he moved his body, in and out, and he felt his blood was running faster. His breath was faster and heavier. And when he felt her legs rubbing his, he moaned. And he moved faster and faster. Aude was now also moaning, louder and louder. And when Aude fingers were deep in his shoulders, he could not hold it anymore. He felt like his whole body bursting out to the air and he let himself go.

For a while, Eirikr was on Aude's body, until he could master his breath, then he rolled himself off and pulled her to his arm. He would not let her go, and he was not going to. He wanted to tell himself by squeezing her tight in his arm, that this had not been one of his dreams. That Aude was in his arm, that he had had his dream come true, seeing her body, touching her, being inside her.

Suddenly his stomach made noises. "I am hungry." he said.

Aude laughed. "You already said that."

"True. But you distracted me."

"Are you telling me, dear master, that you regret what we have just done?"

"Regret? We have to do it again to find out." Eirikr laid Aude on the ground, and started touching her.

"Don't you want to eat first, Eirikr?"

Eirikr kissed her neck. "No." he said between the kisses.

"Or at least a rest?"

But Eirikr did not need any of those. What he needed was to feel her in his mouth, under his hands, to be inside her, her whispering and moaning in his ears, and feeling his body sucked and absorbed, and at the end, bursting out.

And it seemed Aude herself forgetting her offer. Because she answered his touches and kisses as passionately as before. Soon Eirikr heard her moaning and screaming, and feeling her fingers buried deep inside his back. And Eirikr found himself again, bursting out inside her with such a strong feeling that he was afraid the stone room would be tumbled down because of it.

Soon they were laying beside each other. Eirikr followed the sweat which ran from Aude's neck to her stomach with his finger. Up and down touching every part of her skin, on her breast, up to the nipple, and down again.

"Your wound is bleeding again." she said.

Eirikr looked at his arm. There was some fresh blood coming through the cloth, but he did not feel the pain. He felt almost nothing, except peacefulness and hunger. He really needed to eat.

He got up and wanted to call Griselda, when he saw a jar and some dry meat on a plate, and two pieces of clads at the entrance door. Griselda must have put them there. He took them and brought them to Aude.

Aude took the gown and put it on.

Eirikr sat beside her, and started eating.

Aude laughed. "You should put something on first. Griselda or anybody else could come at any time."

"I am hungry." Eirikr said. If anybody could see his body, then what would it matter?

Aude looked at him, and smiled.

Eirikr smiled too, realizing how foolish he sounded. But he was really hungry. He did not want to faint again just because his stomach was empty. It was humiliating.

After eating, Eirikr took the clad and put them on. Griselda did not only lay tunic, but also trousers. Now, he felt better. His stomach was filled, not full, but enough, and his cloth was dry. And his woman was sitting on the ground, smiling at him.

"Strange night, tonight." said Aude. "Here we are, you and I, sitting on the ground, waiting for the battle to get over. I felt like I have been there before."

Eirikr wanted to ask if Aude and Vidarr also had done what they just did, but he changed his mind. He did not want to sound envying Vidarr.

Aude laid her head on his arm. "Do you want to know what happened with your brother, Eirikr? Why he was killed?"

"No." Eirikr answered, and that's the truth. He heard it enough. He did not want to hear it from Aude, if it would only make the wound in her heart fresh again. "And I am not sure if Vidarr wanted me to know either. Aude, whatever happened that night, it was not your fault. Do not punish yourself for something that you did not do."

"I punish myself for something that I do, for having such a weak body. I should have had stronger body. He was not supposed to be in the village, he was supposed to be on the ship, sailing with his brother. And I should have had a stronger body, which could carry his...."

Eirikr put his finger on her lips. "No, my lover. That is not your doing. And I take your body the way she is, weak or strong."

Aude's lips trembled. Tears ran down on her cheeks. "What if I could not give you any?"

Eirikr kissed her tears. "Then I would not have any."

"Your heart would get colder, as his."

"I can not promise you his heart, but I can promise you mine. The day that my heart goes colder is the day when I hear Thor calls my name."

Her tears fell harder. She even started sobbing. Her small body shook very hard, that made Eirikr afraid it might get broken.

"Don't cry, my lover." he whispered. "Don't cry."

Aude held him tight. So tight, that he almost could not breathe.

"Oh, Brigindo, what have I done, that you send me your bless and curse at the same time?" Aude whispered.

"Whoever this Brigindo is, he needs to have a word with me. For I am not a curse to you, as you are not a curse to me. You own me, is that not what you said, and I own you."

Aude looked at him. Her green eyes were covered with tears. "Brigindo is my Goddess to whom I send my prayer. For She is the one who can fill my womb with her bless and does not leave it empty. But yet, it seems to me, Brigindo has forsaken me."

"Do you not send your prayers to Frejya?"

"Eirikr, my love. I am but a daughter of a thrall, taken from a small village near the banks of River Rhine. My mother sent her prayers to Belenus, Brigindo, and Aveta. And I am as her only daughter follows her steps. My father, wise man as he is, allows me to continue her way. I may not send my prayers to Odin and Thor, but indeed, I pay my respect to them."

"Then you shall continue." Eirikr smiled. He kissed her lips lightly.

Aude touched his hair gently. "Young indeed you are, and yet, your wisdom is like a wisdom of a man who already saw many winters."

Eirikr held her. "And yet, you were not willing to take me and left me alone in many nights. What has made you change your mind?"

"Your foolishness." she said. "Leaving the safe forest and come here to meet your old woman."

"Then what was it? A gift for my foolishness?"

"No, it was not a gift. When I saw you laying on the floor, helpless and weak, I realized how bad I have been treating you, and how much fear I have for not able to see you again. It also made me realize, that it was not only your heart that has been owned, but also mine. Not by a ghost from the past, but by a mere man who claimed me as his own."

"And yet, you didn't want to yield yourself to me?"

Aude smiled. "It would be something for you to learn and to know."

"What?"

"A woman's heart."

"I would never understand it." Eirikr sighed. And he was not certain if he could wait forever to understand a woman's heart. Slowly he let her go, and stand up. "Come, we'd better go to the other stone room. I wonder if Gunnarr has come or not. There is a battle out there, and I want to know what's going on."

"Yes, it's a battle out there." said Aude, but she laid her self down, and smiling. She played her red hair with her fingers. And slowly, she raised her leg to touch his. And by doing so, her gown was lifted.

_Oh Aude, it is a battle out there!_

Eirikr wanted to complain that it was indeed not the good time, anybody could come right in at any moment, or enemy charged in...but when her gown was getting higher...those very thoughts had left his mind. He took off his tunic and happily fell into her arms.

*********


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

The stone room, where he and Aude was, was ten paces away from the other stone room, where the children, women and old men of Torkelfors were. Eirikr could help but wonder if they had heard or known what he and Aude had done. Because he saw some faces were holding their smiles. Gunnarr who stood at front of the room's entrance was turning the hilt of the sword around.

"How long have you been here, Gunnarr?" he asked.

"Enough to tell the boys how to hold sword." Gunnarr answered. His eyes were twinkling but he did not say anything else.

"How is it out there?" Eirikr asked.

"Strangely quiet. I was out for a while, but I did not see anybody out there." He pulled Eirikr away from everybody. "Let's pray that The Göter did not win the battle."

"Why do you have such a thought?"

"The air is too still. I can not hear any thought or scream. It is like everybody has laid their sword down."

"Gunnarr, we are behind Thor's water. Its voice alone has filled our ears. How can we hear anything else?"

Gunnarr did not answer. He looked at the water which fell without end, as if by looking at it he could have fly through it and be anywhere else but here, standing in front of him. Many times he wiped off his mouth, which was odd for Eirikr, since there was nothing on it.

"What is on your mind, my friend?" Eirikr said. "You are standing here, in front of me, and yet, it is as if you were standing on the top of a beehive."

"We have to leave the cave, Eirikr. I can not stay here too long. This silence is killing me."

"Let's leave, then! You and I, we can protect each other. You and your sharp ears, I and my sword."

Gunnarr looked at him. "What about Aude? She will not let you go. Not after...." a smile broken on the corner of his lips.

Eirikr grinned. "Aude!" he called her.

Aude came to them. She listened carefully as Eirikr told her what Gunnarr had said. Then she said, "You have to leave from another entrance."

Eirikr looked at her in wonder. For a moment he thought that Aude would have begged them to stay. Did she not want to have him by her side? Vidarr had been killed because he had not stayed with her in the cave, did she not have a thought that the same thing might happen to him too?

"Your heart belongs to the battle. " answered Aude when Eirikr asked her why she had not want him to stay. "If I begged you to stay, and yet, you wanted to go, you would go. Your heart would be in two places, and that was Vidarr's unluck. So go, my love!" then she gave him a look, a look so firm, that made her green eyes look black.

Eirikr drew his dagger, and gave it to Aude. "May it help you." he said.

Aude accepted the dagger. "I will show you the way out." she said. She took a torch with her, and followed by Eirikr and Gunnarr, she entered the stone room on the left side beside the main stone room, where the people were.

From the corner of his eyes, Eirikr saw a second torch following them. Eirikr turned around to see, it was Griselda. Her face was hard, her eyes were red. It seemed like she had been crying. The smile which was always on her face every time their eyes met was not there.

What had come into her?

The stone room became smaller. The room which was big enough for two men, now it was only for one. Eirikr must bend his body a little bit, because the ceiling was also getting lower. Somewhere, he heard water dropping.

Suddenly Aude stopped. There was four tunnels in front of her. The sound of the dropping water was getting louder. The air was wet, and Eirikr could feel some water splashed on his face. Were they near by the waterfall?

Aude turned around. "Take the second tunnel. Its ceiling is closed to the ground. You have to walk on your knees or crawl to go out." she said. "But you have to go on your own, now. Be careful."

Eirikr grabbed her neck, and kissed her. "I will return." he said.

She touched his face. "I know."

Gunnarr nodded at her, then he went in first.

Aude turned around and walked away.

Eirikr wanted to follow Gunnarr, when Griselda called his name.

"Please wear this, Master." she gave him a necklace. A necklace made of black leather with a honey coloured stone pendant, almost the same colour like her eyes. She put the necklace around his neck.

Eirikr looked at her. Her eyes were watery, but there was a look that looked at him as if she wanted to say something else, but she did not want, or could not. "Smile, silly thrall." he said. "Do not think that I will not return. It brings unluck." he looked at Aude. He would return, no matter what.

Aude looked back at him. Her chain was raised, there was no smile on her face, but a firm look. Like saying the same thing as he thought.

Then Eirikr looked at Griselda. That thrall forced herself to smile, but the result was her lips trembling, and she looked somehow like a child who was disappointed because her toys was gone. He smiled of the thought, and went inside the tunnel.

The tunnel was small and wet. Eirikr must crawl to be able to pass through it. His hand touched something muddy and cold. The air was moldy. The water must have gone through the wall and made the whole tunnel wet. The sound of dropping water was getting louder and louder. But Eirikr could not see anything. The tunnel was dark, there was no light, neither from fire or moon, which could show him the way or where he was. He had to trust his own belief that Aude had shown him the correct way.

After for some time crawling in the dark, the air smelled lighter and fresh. The ground was also not so wet anymore. Open field must be near by. Eirikr grabbed the hilt of his sword, and crawled slowlier. He tried to make less noise as possible.

Suddenly a hand grabbed him, and drew him out of the hole. He wanted to draw his sword when he heard Gunnarr's voice.

"It's me."

Eirikr straighted his body. "Where are we?"

"I don't know." Gunnarr answered. "But we are not far from the waterfall."

True. Eirikr could still hear the sound of the water.

"Come!" Gunnarr said.

Carefully they moved away from the hole's entrance. After his eyes were adjusted, Eirikr realized that they were among the stones beside the water fall. The entrance, which was covered by stone, could not be seen by untrained eyes. He had been here with Arnvidr, and still he had not known. He _had not known_ that there were stone rooms behind the waterfall until tonight. A good hiding place, but sooner or later they had to find another place. If they used it too often, one day, the enemies might have found it.

Strangely, everything around them was so quiet. Except the sound of the water, they did not hear any sound of metal or scream. Not even steps of men running.

Eirikr drew his sword. "Stay closed to me, Gunnarr. I don't trust quietness in the battle." he said. It was just like quietness in the forest before the beast surrounded them.

"Nobody is here, Eirikr." Gunnarr said. "It is strange."

"Indeed."

They continued walking. The smell of burning wood, blood, and wet ground mixed together in the air. They saw here and there bodies laying on the ground, clad in red or in armour. But none of them were moving. They were all dead. Their faces were unrecognizable hidden under stains of blood or mud, or both.

What was going on? Why was there no cries of battle calling for Thor's name? Why was it quieter than the ship stone grounds?

Eirikr held his sword tighter. _I am a fool, _he thought. _Without shield, I am nothing but an open prey._

Suddenly Gunnarr grabbed his hand. "Somebody is here." he whispered.

Both of them put their backs on each other, moved in circle to see their surrounding.

Eirikr could smell the blood, he could also shadows of trees, but he could not see anything else. Was this man hiding behind those trees, or laying on the ground perhaps? From where Gunnarr could tell that somebody was there?!

"He was behind that tree on Ótta." Gunnarr said.

_Ótta..that means between North and East..._

Eirikr looked at the direction that was mentioned by Gunnarr. He saw nothing but tree. And then he saw something moving. Gunnarr was right, there was somebody. He brought his sword closer to his chest. Anytime soon, that figure could charge them.

"It is I, Olaf son of Orvar." that figure went out of his hiding.

Eirikr did not low his sword. There was something about Olaf that made Gunnarr silent and tensed. Eirikr did not like when Gunnarr was all silent and tensed. It was like Gunnarr's way of telling that there laid danger in front of him.

"Do tell, good Olaf." he said. "What are you doing there? And where are our Brothers? Are the Göter becoming our masters now?"

Olaf moved closer. "No." he said. "They are all in Long Hall now. Negotiate."

Strong smell of blood came from Olaf. Eirikr could not see so well under deem light like that, but he could sense that Olaf was covered by blood.

"Why are you here?"

"I don't have a wish to do it, this _negotiation._" Olaf gave a tone in negotiation like it was something disgusting. "Whatever the end of that speech might be, I will follow my own way."

"And what would that be, good Olaf?" asked Gunnarr.

"Something that even _you_ would like, Gunnarr son of Alvar."

What did he mean?

Olaf sniffed the air, like a dog sniffed the air. Then he said, "I would not enter the Long Hall if I were you. There is something in the air that brings nothing but death."

"We are in the battle. There is nothing but death." Gunnarr said. "Or are you afraid of answering Thor's call."

Olaf laughed gleefully. "Thor's call? Such a fool you are to think that I am afraid of Thor's call. Even Thor himself would not bring any fear upon me anymore. But something inside that Long Hall will. Mark my word, Alvar's son. Stay away from The Long Hall." Then he left, as soundless as he came.

"What has came into him?" Eirikr said. "He is not himself anymore."

"No, he is not himself anymore. But it is no concerns of ours. I have a father to protect, and you have the father of your woman to protect. Come, Brother!"

Quickly they ran to the direction o The Long Hall. Just like Olaf said, The Long Hall was bright from the lamps that were lighted. So bright that made the day had came earlier. At the door, there were standing four men. Hjálmarr and Dagr on the right side, and two Göter on the left. All of them were covered with mud and blood, and watched each other like hunters watched their preys.

The Göter drew their swords, and so did Hjálmarr and Dagr.

Oddly, Gunnarr sheathed his sword. Then he spoke in a foreign tongue.

The Göter looked at each other.

Gunnarr continued speaking in the foreign tongue.

After for awhile, they sheathed their swords.

"Hjálmarr," Gunnarr gave Eirikr, Hjálmarr and Dagr a sign to sheathe their swords. He opened the door and asked Eirikr to follow him.

"What did you say to them?" asked Eirikr.

"That you are the son of Torkelfors' chieftain, and it would be considered to be disrespectful to keep you outside."

"They believe that?"

"Not exactly. Then I said we are four and they are two, they should consider to pay you a respect now, or get to know our swords."

The Long Hall was full with men in two different fashions. The ones with the Reds or brown leather tunic were standing on the right, and the ones with chain armour on the left. In the middle were four men. Arnvidr, Alvar, a man of Göter, and a boy.

There was something strange about that boy. He was not much taller than Eirikr's chest. His skin was white, as white as snow. His hair was short and black. And there was painting on his chest and his arms. He could not be older than Eirikr himself, but the way the Göter looked at him, as if he was somebody older, much older.

Suddenly that boy looked at him. His eyes were gray, and sharp, as sharp as falcons'. Eirikr felt his blood run cold, and strange feeling crawl on his back. Like somebody was touching it with cold hand. And then that boy whispered to the Göter. Strangely, now the Göter looked at him too.

Eirkr became uncomfortable. Like in The Long Hall of Erlingsäng, now every pair of eyes in the room were looking at him. He wanted to look for a help to Gunnarr, but changed his mind, when he saw Gunnarr standing beside him with a white face, like he was seeing a ghost!

Arnvidr gave him a sign to approach.

Eirikr walked slowly to the front.

"Tell Young Master here," said The Göter through Alvar. "My Master admired the way he fought in the battle. He said, it was beautiful. He had not seen somebody move like that in a long time."

_Master? A long time? He doesn't look like somebody who already reached his twentieth winter!_

But Eirikr nodded.

"And you are a lucky man to have such a young warrior at your side, Arnvidr son of Halvard."

"Luck man indeed I am." said Arnvidr. "But do tell, Bertram von Göteland, why do you want to cease fire in such a short time, not that I have anything to regret. The shorter our fight, the better will be for our children and women. But it is indeed not the custom of the Göter to let their enemy walk free and able to raise their swords again."

"We all have a common need, Arnvidr son of Halvard. To live in peace and prosper. Blessed and cursed for your land to lay between two lands of the Göter. Blessed and cursed for the men of Torkelfors to fight like worthy enemies. For years and years we face each other, years and years our men have fallen, and until the last breath we take, we still raise our swords against each other. It will be an honour to meet Wodan, if I fall under the sword of a son of Torkelfors.

But a tiding hour has come to my land, as I believe yours. The sons of Fenrir have come to my land and fed upon my people."

The Long Hall was suddenly filled with murmured.

_Sons of Fenrir? _Without being able to help himself, Eirikr's mind went to Olaf. Had Linnéa the völva not called Olaf _son of Fenrir?_

"Are you saying that you – mighty sons of Göter have fear in wolves?"

"They are but not ordinary wolves. They cloak themselves in human shapes, roam free in the land of Göter, until the moon remove their cloaks. Those who keep their blood line pure, will be able to remove their cloaks at will, but those who are bitten, will only listen to the moon. They are good natures, the son of Fenrir, until we claim their land, or they live in secrecy. They will become wild and return to their ancient form. Eating human flesh and drinking human blood."

"By Odin, what is this, that you are telling us?" said Arnvidr. "Are you trying to make a fool of us, by telling us stories which will make children unable to sleep?"

"Five of my men had gone into the wood ere full moon. Had your men not met them?"

"No." this time Alvar was the one who answered. "We met only two of them. And I killed them in act of mercy. They had begged me not to let them become one of Fenrir's sons."

"Then you know that I am telling the truth."

Arnvidr and Alvar looked at each other.

"Indeed you are," finally Arnvidr said. "And yet, you attacked us. You slaughtered our women and children."

"There would be no mercy for the things that we have done to your women and children. I could only offer our daughters to replace them. But there is a greater danger that awaits us. Either we fight together, or we fail."

The Long Hall became louder by the sound of the voices.

"Silent!" Arnvidr said. "This is neither the time nor the place for anybody to speak carelessly. If any of you want to speak your mind, then speak up!"

The noises were suddenly dead.

"My Master will give us a hand." Bertram the Göter continued. "For the sons of Fenrir had also slaughtered his people. Killing them during their sleep, like a coward, they lurked and sniffed to find where his people sleep, and in pack they killed them, one by one. They also killed one of his sons, tortured him, and burned him alive."

Now all eyes looked at the boy.

Eirikr could not decide whether to believe in Bertram's story or not. He did not see any feeling on that boy's face. No anger, no sadness. His face was as cold as the colour of his skin.

"If he has such a power over you, Bertram von Göteland," said Arnvidr. "Why don't he and his people come to the sons of Fenrir and ask them to pay their debts?"

"One son of Fenrir would be like a leaf in his hand. But a pack of sons of Fenrir, even for a strong man such my Master would be too much. And to kill a son of Fenrir would not be as easy as to kill a forest wolf. Neither arrow nor sword would kill him."

"Then how would we kill him?"

"Silver. You have to use silver as the eyes of the arrows, or your sword. There is no other way."

"Silver?!" The men now raised their voices. "Silver is nothing but for the pleasure of eyes and the cups for giving prayers to Gods."

Eirikr touched his pendant. Aude. Aude wore nothing of silver. Stones, she wore many precious jewels, but made of stones. Silver, he must give his pendant to Aude. His heart raced. And he could not stay here too long. He must go to the cave and give his pendant to Aude.

Eirikr lifted his eyes. The feeling that somebody was watching him came uninvited. _That Boy, The Master of Bertram the Göter _was watching him. His gray eyes fixed on him like a tiger fixed his eyes on his prey.

What a strange view indeed. For Bertram the Göter was a big man in build. As high as his head, but strong and big like Arnbiorn. His red beard and hair were like fire. His chain armour was black, it seemed like it was made of iron burned in the hottest fire. The sword hang under his belt was made in Göter fashion, broad and double sided. His cape was made of bear's fur. And yet, there was no necklace nor rings on his body.

And he called _That Boy_ 'master'.

Arnvidr raised his hand, to give a sign for the men to be silent.

"Has your master a name, Bertram von Göteland?" asked Arnvidr. "Or are the people of Torkelfors worth of nothing but thralls?"

_That Boy _looked at Bertram the Göter, which was suddenly looking pale, and nodded.

"He is called in many names. But he is the last Lord of the Cruthin, from far away land which was called _Na Trosaichean_. Among us, he is called Lord Godafrid, it is _Goraidh _in his own tongue, and yet by others he is known as Godric.

Do not let your eyes deceive you. Young indeed he is in shape, but as one of the ancient people of Pict, he is but blessed by youth and age."

"_Na Trosaichean_ I heard of." said Arnvidr. "As my father before me sailed through the rough waters to the West, for many Svear had opened the fields and woodlands and build their own lands. Are you saying, Lord Godafrid, that in your blood runs the blood of Svear?"

_That Boy _moved his eyes to Arnvidr, then returned to Eirikr's. Without lifting his eyes from Eirikr he said, as many then surprised, in Svear tongue. "No. In my blood runs many lives, but none of them is Svear."

His voice was like the voice of a boy, but it brought coldness upon Eirikr's skin.

"I will ask only once." _That Boy_ said. "Will you, people of Torkelfors, raise your swords under my banner? Think wisely. Tomorrow, after the sun rests on the West, I will have the answer. Or you will have to raise your swords against me, and my people."

And then he walked away from Bertram and Arnvidr.

"Show some respect to Arnvidr son of Halvard, you son of Pict!" one of the Torkelfors men leaped forward to charge him.

With a blink of an eye, the hand of _That Boy_ landed on the throat of the Torkelfors man, and like threw away a leaf, he pushed him. The Torkelfors man flew across the room and hit the wall of the Long Hall. He fell and did not move anymore.

The men of Torkelfors drew their swords.

"_Ihr Tören_!!" Bertram the Göter's voice thundered the room.

_That Boy _was standing in the middle of the Long Hall. His hands were like falcon's claws ready to catch its prey. The men of Torkelfors were standing in alert, meanwhile the Göter moved away from him.

Eirikr saw Gunnarr standing separatedly from anybody. He was not sure whose face was whiter. Gunnarr or _That Boy_, that the Göter called Lord Godafrid.

"It's your call, Arnvidr son of Halvard." Bertram the Göter. "But I will call my men, and we will be in your forest. By sunset, we will come again, in peace. And if your answer does not please My Master, then prepare yourself to meet your maker."

Arnvidr did not answer, but looked at Eirikr. As if he was searching for an answer from him, his eyes fixed on his. Then, "Let them go."

_That Boy's _hands were loosing. He raised his eyes to meet Gunnarr's. Then he smiled, a very peculiar smile, like he smelled something delicious. His gray eyes flickered, and then he said, "We will meet again, son of Torkelfors." then he walked out.

"_Männer!"_ said Bertram the Göter, and followed his master.

The Göter marched and followed their chieftain leaving The Long Hall.

The Long Hall became very quiet. Nobody moved, nobody raised any voice. Everything happened so quickly in Eirikr's eyes. He did not know what to do or say. Arnvidr's face was getting harder than the last days, Alvar was standing beside him without any word. Gunnarr was still as white as snow, and he himself looked around confused.

"Somebody better takes care of Elof." said Arnvidr breaking the silence.

One of the men came to the man who laid on the floor. "He is fine, Arnvidr." he said. "He is unconscious, but fine."

"Good." Arnvidr said, and suddenly he fell on the floor.

Alvar tried to catch him, but it was too late. Some men swiftly moved to the front, and made a circle around them. Eirikr could only stand there, watched everything happened without being able to react. Everything was too fast for him. He had never been in this kind of situation before. They were all new, and somehow scary for him. In the forest, if a beast ran amok, he would know what to do. But here?

"Arnvidr...you are hurt." he said. "You should have told us to raise our swords against those unworthy sons of Göter."

"Good Alvar, you know how many men we have, and how many men they have. They could charge us and slaughter us. But their Master does not wish it, and I don't know why."

"Men, help me carry Arnvidr to his house, and get some herbs for Arnvidr's wounds!"

"No." saidArnvidr.

"But good Arnvidr..."

Arnvidr shook his head. "Eirikr...."

Eirikr came closed to him. "Yes, Arnvidr..." He knelt beside him. To see such a man like Arnvidr laying weak on the ground, pale like morning sky, overwhelmed him. He never thought that a man like him could look so helpless. There was in his body that was new to him, made his nose painful, and he had to bite his tongue in order not to cry.

"Closer, my son. So I can speak to your ears only."

Eirikr bowed to him.

"If I do not see the light of day, the women and the children have to leave the village. Aude knows the way."

"Yes, Arnvidr."

"Herbs for Arnvidr!" a man said.

Eirikr straighted his body.

It was Alfr. He came with a bowl of leaves and some piece of cloth.

"Leave." he said "I can work better if there is more space here."

Hesitatingly one by one the men left the Long Hall. The men in the circle refused to leave, but when Arnvidr moved his hand, they left too. Only Alvar and Eirikr stayed. Leaving the Long Hall empty and quiet.

"How is my friend, Eirikr?" Alfr asked. "Is she safe?"

Eirikr nodded.

"Good, and keep it that way. Otherwise I will hunt you down. Now, go. It's hard enough to take care of this stubborn old man. I don't want to take care of you either."

"Good Alfr," Arnvidr smiled. His face was as white as a dead man now. "One of these days, your tongue will lead you into troubles."

"Heh, you have been saying it for years. And look who takes care whom now?"

Arnvidr laughed, but then he coughed. Blood came from his mouth like rain fell from the sky.

"Now, don't say any more word, Arnvidr." Alfr's voice sounded stern. "Lay down and let me take care of you, old friend. Everything will be fine."

Eirikr got up, and turned away. He wanted to stay to know how Alfr took care of Arnvidr. But the feeling in his body was getting stronger. He did not want to break down and cry. No, not now.

The men were gathered in front of the Long Hall. Eirikr saw Hjálmarr, Birger, Knut, and Lage talked to each other. He heard words like "madness", "children", "refuse", but he could not put them together in one breath.

_Were Father here, he would know what to do._

A thought suddenly came to him. His father were not here. He was a man of his own now. He had a woman to protect. And like what Gunnarr had said, he had the father of the woman he loved to protect. It was his time now, to stand his ground.

"Eirikr!" Gunnarr's voice brought him back. He looked for Gunnarr, and saw him standing alone, leaning his body on the corner. He looked more nervous than before. He looked around searching for something in the darkness, and started biting his fingers.

Eirikr came to him.

"We have to talk." Gunnarr said.

"Then speak!"

"Not here. Come!" Gunnarr pulled his hand. He took Eirikr for some walks, away from the Long Hall, too far away for Eirikr's taste, but he did not say anything. They sat under the tree on Freyråker, the place where he got married.

Eirikr wanted to ask why Gunnarr dragged him to that place. But when he saw Gunnar's face, he changed his mind. Gunnar's face was not only white, but also blank. Had he not known Gunnarr, he would take him as one of _That Boy's _people.

"I can not hear him." he said. "I just can not hear him."

"Who?"

"The man with marble skin." he hissed through his teeth. "The Boy, Lord Godafrid."

"Did he not talk loud enough for everybody to hear? Surely you must have heard him."

"It was quiet all the time, here," he touched his head. "There was nothing inside his head. It was empty. As if he was dead already."

"Dead? Gunnarr, he walks and talks, just like us."

Gunnarr looked around, as if he wanted to make sure that nobody was there to listen. His voice was husky when he said,

"Eirikr, I can hear what people say in their heads. As clear as the spoken words."

And then he laughed. Like something had been released from his chest, it was loud.

********************


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

"How many winters have we spent together, Eirikr? Ten? Eleven? And how many times do you spend your time sitting alone, watching your brother telling his stories around the fire?"

"I can not recall. Almost every time he returned from sailing, I suppose."

"And how many times did you think about joining him? Going with him on one of those ships and sitting beside him around the fire, telling your own stories?"

"Almost every time."

"You were also thinking, if you had the same colour of hair like your brothers, red like fire, instead of as yellow as rye, you would look like him. You even had a thought of dying it. And you would have done it, if your mother's hair was not yellow like yours."

Eirikr smiled. Yes, he had had that thought, so many times.

"Meanwhile Hallsteinn spent most of his time thinking about Nenna. Different ways of saying 'good morning' to her. He even had a thought, if he could, he would put it on a stone, so it stayed for a long time."

"His good morning?"

"His good morning."

Both of them looked at each other and then laughed.

"Do you believe me, Eirikr, that I can listen to your thoughts?"

"Do you have reasons to lie, Gunnarr?"

"No."

"Then I do."

"As easy as that?"

Eirikr nodded. He had been wondering from where Gunnarr knew all those news before they had been spoken.

"Are you not wondering, not even a little bit?"

"No." Eirikr said.

"And I have spent all these times to find a way to tell you." Gunnarr took a deep breath. "What a fool I am. I should have trusted you. But again, you take everything so easily. For you everything is clear and simple. You have your duties, and you do it. No further question necessary. When your father told you to learn how to use sword, you did it, and mastered it in a short time. When he told you to learn how to take care of land, you did it too. When you were told to go to other village to get married with the widow of your brother, you did it. You were eager to please your father. In your head, there was nothing else but the willing to fulfill the wish of your brother. If I were you, I would look for a lot of reasons not to do it. By Odin, you did not even know how she looked like! The women in our village were craving for the moment you laid your eyes on them, unintentionally – I would say so, but still you did it. They wanted to lay their hands on your hair, your body – which you show proudly, if I may say so, but that's beside the point..what I am trying to say is, how do you do it?!"

"I don't know. I don't think, I follow what my heart told me. And how did you keep your secret away from all of us?"

"You can not and do not want to imagine how it is to live with voices following you anywhere you go. You know their secrets, their deepest secret, that you think the wish to have known somebody secret is nothing but the trick of a foolish mind. Because it is not a fine wish, and not a fine living indeed. There are wishes, let's pray they will not reach Odin's ears, that you will not believe that somebody is actually having it. It will make you afraid to step your feet outside your door. It did to me. And often enough the noises were so loud, that I could not make any difference anymore, if they were thinking about it, or speaking it. I had to think twice before I could even understand the meaning of their words.

Then I have a thought, _If I am sick, may be they will stop thinking if they are near me. _Heh, wrong thought. The more often I pretended to be sick, the less friends I have. The less friends I have, the more bad noises I heard coming from their heads. If I was cursed, if I carried Death with me, if it's in my mother's blood that I got sick so often. The thought that may be I would prefer to be left alone, never came to their minds.

Do you know why I talk a lot? That is my only way to stop hearing their thoughts. Because if I talked, I forced them to listen. And many times they were listening to me with empty heads, some even fell a sleep meanwhile they were listening to me, and I craved every moment of it.

I gave up my hope of having friend, until Hallsteinn came along. I like to be with Hallsteinn. He thought nothing but nice things about other people. Never I heard a bad voice inside his head. When he was with me, playing, he thought about catching some fishes for me or looking for berries and will make dried fruit from them, you know, to make me feel better. But then, he fell in love with Nenna. I felt betrayed. I felt he had no more time or place for me anymore. In his thought and his saying were mostly about Nenna. Nenna this, Nenna that. Nenna, Nenna, Nenna. I started treating him badly. And yet, his thoughts were still kind to me. He even blamed himself for not giving more time for me. I felt ashamed with myself, honest to you. I tried my best to make it up with him, and I do hope if we see each other again, he will forgive my foolish behaviour...heh, I believe he will.

Anyway, with you...it was different. You always see me as a man, like any other man. You helped me, like a brother helped another brother. You took my words, because you believed in them. And strange, I feel safe. I feel I can trust you, and I believe, you will not break your vows. That you will be loyal to me, as I will be loyal to you."

"You should." said Eirikr. "But I do not think that it is the time to tell such a story. There will time for us to sit beside the fire, eating fresh red meat, and drinking mead, and telling such a story."

"I told that myself quite often, Eirikr. _Wait, you fool. Eirikr is learning his lesson in sword now, he doesn't need any distraction. _And when you finished with your sword lesson, I told myself. _Not now, Gunnarr. He is busy learning building a ship. _Then the next time, there was always something else. I wanted to tell you it was a foolish decision to accept the widow of your brother, but I heard how you wanted to follow your father's wish. And I also heard, how much your father wanted somebody to take Vidarr's place."

"Were those the reasons you said yes for me?"

"Yes."

Eirikr smiled. "I thank you for that. I have such a woman, I will never trade her with anything else, not here, not in Valhalla."

Gunnarr grinned. "So I heard, back there in the stone room."

Eirikr hit him on the shoulder. "You should stop listening. It will take you to nothing but trouble."

"I know. But worry not, I know when I have to stop. Although I did not need to have that power to hear what you two did."

Eirikr grinned. _Were they that loud?_

"But why now, Gunnarr? Why in this time of trouble, when our thoughts are needed somewhere else?"

Gunnarr took a deep breath, as if he wanted to tell himself to bring his thought to the things he wanted to say. "Because of _him._"

By _him _he meant that boy, that man, who was called in many names. Lord Godafrid, Goraidh_, _Godric, and probably other names in many different tongues.

"This is the first time that I can not go through a man's head. I can not hear anything. And it is cold. I feel like I am entering a burrow of a dead man."

"He is an old man, cloaked in young body. Is it not what Bertram the Göter said? Is it possible that he does not have thought anymore?"

"Even an old man has thoughts. You know what the old men thought when they heard what you two did...no, you did not, and trust me, you do not want to know."

Then Gunnarr was quiet.

Eirikr did not say anything. He did not want to bother Gunnarr, or rush his thought.

"True is my world, Eirikr. I am afraid." finally Gunnarr said.

"Do you not trust my sword, Gunnarr?"

"I do. But I have a feeling, your sword will not stop him. You saw how he threw Elof. A man with such a strength must have faced Death."

"You said, you have no fear of Death."

"No, I don't, my friend. But not this kind of Death."

"Do you think he knows, that you can listen to people's thought, and found out that he did not have any?"

"I don't know."

"Why does he have such a great interest in you, Gunnarr? And Olaf, too. They are strangers to you, and both of them have such a great interest in you. Or have you met Olaf or Lord Godafrid before?"

Gunnarr wiped off his mouth. Something was bothering him. Something, Eirikr did not know what or why, made him afraid.

"I can not hide anything in front of you, can I?" Gunnarr asked.

_He hears it._

"Of course I heard you. Had I not told you?"

_Then by Odin, speak!_

Gunnarr closed his eyes. He banged his head on the tree several times, before finally he opened his eyes and said, "It is my blood, Eirikr."

"Your blood?"

"You remember the story I told you about fairies?"

"The forest creatures with wings and sparkling body?"

Slowly Gunnarr answered. "Yes, no...I mean, yes about that story, but no, fairies do not have wings or sparkling body. They have different skin from ours, it is thin, you can almost see it through, and live in different world from ours, and they have pointed ears, like...this." he lifted the hair that covered his ears, and Eirikr jumped off when he saw Gunnarr's ear. Different from his, Gunnarr had pointed ear! Like cat's ears.

_The other one too?_

"Of course, the other one too, Eirikr!" Gunnarr covered his ear again.

"Is that why you never plaited your hair?"

Gunnarr nodded.

Eirikr sat down. All this time, and he never knew. "Does it mean you are..."

"I am a half-blood. My father, you know my father, a Svear – a man, and my mother is a fairy." Gunnarr sighed. "Forgive me for telling you a lie. My mother is not unknown, she is unknown to you, but not to me. I know who my mother is. Her name is unspeakable, but in our language she is called Eolanda. We see each other from time to time, when the doors that connect our world and their world open. It was always a beautiful time every time the doors were open. The air was warm, and the wind breezed, touched my hair in gentle way. The sun sent her colourful lights through the leaves, and I would hear voices, softly singing, calling my name. Then I know that the doors are open. Such a peaceful feeling I have every time I am in her world, as if no harm can touch me. And all those songs they sing, those dances they dance, and the laughters...they wash away the sorrows and pains I have for not having her through the dark and sad times I have. Yes, she can come to our world any time she wants it, but I can only enter hers if the doors are open. To tell you the truth, I don't want her to be in our world. There are too much danger and pain lurking every time. I don't want her to get hurt, for she is such a gentle creature with generous heart.

You see, Eirikr, one day she told me, that I should be careful not to hurt myself. Because my blood, coming from her, smells different, tastes different. If I am hurt, and those creatures, who feed flesh and drink blood, smell my blood, either it is carried by the wind, or water, they will come and look for me. For them, I am nothing but like fresh meat for cats.

"What about your father, does he know that you know about her?"

Gunnarr nodded. "He was the one who told me about her."

"How did they meet, your father and mother?"

"Usually, my father always used boat to travel to the haven. But that day, he did not know why, he wanted to walk through the forest. The forest was never as beautiful as that day. The leaves were changing their colours, the air was warm, and berries were everywhere. It seemed like, the forest was bursting out. Then, deep in the forest, suddenly he heard a woman singing. He should have run. Forest is a beautiful place, but there are so many unknown creatures that dwell there, that it would be better for you if you simply ignore them and run. But no, my father was drawn to her voice. And there she was. A beautiful woman, with skin glowing like jewel stones glow under the sun, dark brown hair, and eyes like hazel leaves, sat under a tree, singing. The next thing my father knew, was...you know, she and my father...anyway, here I am. The son of whatever happened that day under the tree."

"For a son of a tree, you are not that bad." Eirikr said, grinning.

Gunnarr grinned too. But his grin went as fast as it came. "I thought my mother was like any other mother, she was worried too much, about me for not being hurt. But I realize, after the thing that happened in the forest, Olaf was different. He seems to be drawn to me. And it scares me. Because if a half-blood like me can attract all those creatures, can you imagine how they will react to my mother?""

"Are you saying that Olaf is becoming one of them – the sons of Fenrir?"

"Is it not what Bertram said? Those who were..."

"...bitten by sons of Fenrir, would listen only to..."

"...the moon."

Both of them were quiet.

_Then, who is this Lord Godafrid? _

"Or what?"

Eirikr looked at Gunnarr. Coldness crept on the back of his neck. "Had your mother ever told you their names, or how they looked like?

"She never called them by names, nor by figures. Forest creatures, that's how she called them."

"Olaf was with Hamr all the time. Do you think Hamr is one of them?"

"I don't know." said Gunnarr. "He doesn't behaves differently, at least I don't see that he is drawn to me, the way Olaf is. If you remember, he is not a man of words. He is always busy making something. Swords, knives, daggers, anything we ask him to. He doesn't change, does he?"

"But how could he escape from Olaf, if Olaf had turned into a wolf? They were together that night. Or did Hamr change himself into a Skogkatt?"

Both of them looked at each other.

Eirikr did not know what to believe or not to believe anymore. Could a man really shift his shape the way he wanted?

"His thought is as normal as any others." Gunnarr said. "Mostly he thinks about his daughter. He wonders if any man will ever take her as his woman. Heh, he should ask Hallsteinn, Hallsteinn would do it at any day!"

"And Olaf?"

"After from the forest, his thought is different. It is like something surrounds his thought. It is not as clear as yours or others, it is like he was speaking with his hand in front of his mouth. I can not hear it clearly anymore. It is like Linnéa's. Her thought was filled with strange tongue, over and over again, like she was praying. The same thought, all the time. Even meanwhile she was speaking to me. You remember, when we were back in Erlingsäng?"

"That is odd, is it not?"

"It gave me a fright." he said. "The first time in my life, I had a fright of hearing somebody's thought. Not because it was an ill-thought, but because it gave me such a feeling that I am facing an unknown creature, creatures that never mentioned by my mother. Surely my mother knows a lot of creatures. And yet, I was facing and talking to a woman, but it felt somehow different. And her smell, such a rotten smell, like it was coming from a rotten flesh!"

"Did you smell that too?" Eirikr was surprised.

"Yes. Apparently, you did too." Gunnarr looked at Eirikr's pendant. "Does it not bother you, now that you are wearing her pendant?"

Eirikr touched the pendant. It should have been Aude, and not he. His finger touched something cold. The stone from Griselda. May be he should find something from silver for Griselda. That thrall was loyal to him in the time when he had needed somebody, She should not be forgotten. "Linnéa had seen all these matters, had she not? And yet she gave her pendant to me. Why should I be bothered by it?"

"You are right, I suppose. She means nothing but well." Gunnarr touched Eirikr's shoulder. "Come, the men are looking for you."

Eirikr stood up. "Arnvidr..."

"No. Arnvidr is fine." Gunnarr said. "It is about The Göter's wish_."_

"What should I say, Gunnarr?"

"What your heart says. Until now your heart leads you to something good. I see no reason why you should not follow your heart this time."

Eirikr did not say anything. But somehow, Eirikr was not certain anymore.

**********

The Long Hall looked deem. The fire in the middle of the room was made big to keep the men warm, but their grimed faces seemed to make everything looked dark.

Arnvidr sat on his chair. Alfr had put herbs and bandaged his chest with clean cloth. His face was pale, and his hand which was holding his sword looked shaking, but he looked firm. As if he had already made up his mind.

"Men of Torkelfors, and my brothers of Erlingsäng. Such a day we had today. And tomorrow, we will have to answer to a stranger from a foreign land. I will leave the answers to you all. It is about the time, that I trust more to your judgments than mine. All I ask is, be wise, and choose your words carefully."

"It would be an honour to me to die for Torkelfors." Egill said. "But I am not yet blind. They are stronger than us. If we have to face them and also the beast, then I am not certain if we can win the battle."

"The beast?" Sören raised his voice. "The beast which we heard from them, and from our brothers who are not here. The beast which we never saw with our own eyes. We never forget to send our prayers to Thor and Frej. Why should they forsake us, and send the sons of their brother to us?"

The room was filled with noises.

"Olaf is not here." Gunnarr whispered. "And so is Hamr."

_Are they?_

Eirikr looked around. Gunnarr was right. They were not there.

"I have nothing to fear, of beast or men." Hjálmarr said. "But to fight together with The Göter would give us time and chance to build this land again. I might be not the son of Torkelfors, but I love her as much as the next one. And nothing that I would wish for, but to see this land grows prosper."

"Then we just lay down our swords, and follow the order of their Master?"

"Indeed fools we are, if our eyes can not see the strength of their Master. Are we going to fight both the Master and his sons, and the Göter? For death will come upon us, if we raise our swords against them."

"Are you, good Hjálmarr, advising us to take the cowardly deed? Perhaps we can also give our women and lick their feet too? Or better, let us be their women, and all this conversation can be ended right now."

The room was roared with curse words against each other.

"This is madness." Dagr's voice was above the others. "Our enemies are lurking out there, preparing themselves to enter our land in the morning, and we are fighting against each other! Our swords will not be enough to fight them all. It is only foolishness and madness to fight against enemies whom we can not win. Is it not wiser, those hands we can not cut, we better shake?"

"And how would you suggest, good Dagr? By becoming their thralls?"

"No." Without being able to control himself, Eirikr answered the question.

The heads turned around to see him.

Eirikr felt like entering a wolf's lair. All those eyes seemed to be ready to tear his limb apart. At any time. Even Gunnarr opened his eyes widely.

_Help me, Gunnarr._

But Gunnarr did not do anything. He did not even blink.

"Let him be heard." said Arnvidr, who was sitting straight now, watching him closely.

"I saw the children, the old men, and the women... in the hiding...I can see so much fear in their eyes. I have nothing to fear of, and I will raise my sword against anybody, if the council of the Long Hall decides to, but if I have the choice, I don't want to see those fears in their eyes anymore." slowly Eirikr felt courage creeping in. "Is it not what you – men of Torkelfors want, when you sailed out to the East, to meet the men of Rus? That you want to have another land to live, to see our women and children live peacefully, to see our brothers prosper? Is it not a chance for us, to keep this land and to see our children grow? I know I don't have any children yet, but when the time comes, I want to have them here, in Torkelfors. And I want to see them grow prosper. And the only way I can see is to keep Torkelfors safe. If we can not keep her safe with our swords, why not with our words? If what they said is true, then we still have time until the full moon. During that time, we still can prepare ourselves, renew our weapons, safe our women and children...send them out of Torkelfors..." that very thought gave him a strange feeling to his stomach. Away from Aude....he did not know if he could do it...

"Tell me, good Eirikr." Sören said. "What do you love more, your honour or your women and children?"

"Neither."

Again, The Long Hall filled with noises. Even Gunnarr looked at him with open mouth.

"Life. That's what I love more. Honour I can regain later, women...I can have women, anytime, anywhere..."

Slowly, laughters filled The Long Hall.

"But life. If I lose this one, I will not regain another."

"Even it means that you live as a thrall?"

"Not as a thrall. Did you not hear what Bertram the Göter said, that we are their worthy enemy? Surely they would not ask us to help them, if they thought we were only thrall-worthy."

The men looked at each other. And from the corner of his eyes, Eirikr saw Arnvidr smiling.

"Men," Arnvidr finally said. "The daybreak is closing in. I say, we speak our mind now if we want to fight the Göter or help them. Raise your swords for those who want to fight."

One by one the sword was raised.

_Not so many, only a quarter._

"And those who want to help the Göter?"

The rest of the men raised their swords, included Eirikr and Gunnarr.

"Then it shall be."

*************


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Laying in her arms, feeling her hair touching his face, and her soft hands caressing, following the shape of his arms made the world stop in Eirikr's eyes. Nothing seemed to matter, or becoming less matter.

Some times ago, when Eirikr saw the meadows of Torkelfors under the sunlight, he felt empty. The houses, which they built some days ago, became rubles again. Some were burnt so bad, that he could not tell whose houses they had been. The men who fell in the battle were every where. Svear, Göter, they did not look much different when they were dead. Only their armour and fashions that differed them. Those who were injured were brought to a house which was big enough to be a house of healing. Among those who fell in the battle of Torkelfors were Åke son of Assar, Arnbiorn son of Bodil, Kjell son of Sören and many sons of Torkelfors and Göter. They were all gathered and burned, and when the ashes were cold, they were buried in the same burrow.

And when the women and children were taken from the caves, and he saw Aude coming to his arms, all images of the battle from last night flashed in front of him, and remembered how he had killed those men of Göter, swift and almost like killing animals, he was shaken. He was never in any battle before, he had never killed a man before. And last night, he raised his sword and killed men like they were nothing.

Aude took him to their bedroom, before he broke down and cried. Stroking his hair, touching his face, kissing him, whispering soft words that calmed him down. And when he could master himself again, he was the one who kissed her, touched her, and when the thought came that it would be their first time, to be together on their bed, he felt so nervous that he stopped and let her go. His hands were trembling, and he could not look into Aude's eyes.

"What's the matter, Eirikr?" she asked.

"It..this..will be our first time..."

"We had it in the stone room..."

"I know...but not on our bed...we will sleep here every night..."

Aude smiled. "I hope so."

"What if you don't like it..."

Aude took his hand, and put her finger on his mouth. "You don't have so much time, Eirikr. Soon, you will be asked to be with the men again. Let's don't waste it."

They had made love, in a way that Eirikr could swore, as if Aude had been afraid of something. _She made love to him, _that might be the correct way to say it. She had been the one who started everything. May be it was because Aude was his first and only woman, and he did not have any experience until last night, but in that short time, he knew how to satisfy his woman, or he thought he knew. But this time, Aude had been the one who undressed him, and when she pushed him to the bed, and kissed him bit by bit, from his lips, down to his neck, removed his necklaces rudely, and went down to his stomach, and then took him, he could only gasp and moan. And when he felt his body was shaking so hard, he thought he was going to burst, he grabbed the edge of the bed. Aude let him go, removed his hands from the edge of the bed, nailed them down beside the pillow, sat on the top of him, and started moving.

"Aude..." he heard himself calling her name. He heard himself saying no and yes, for what, he could not really remember. And when Aude let his hands go, he grabbed her hip, and felt himself coming. When he opened his eyes, he saw Aude's green eyes brightly sparkling. A smile was on her face.

"I love you, Aude." he said. He would say it again and again. He did not care how silly it may sound, he wanted her to hear it.

Aude kissed him, and then gently she rolled herself down.

For a moment they were laying side by side without a word.

Now he was naked in her arms, put his head on her breast, and let her play with his hair, or kiss his head. But nothing made any sense anymore. How a woman could give him a feeling he had never had before, he would never understand. A feeling of being safe, but at the same time afraid. Satisfied, and yet it seemed never enough. Strong, until he was in her arms, feeling her touch, suddenly he was weak and lost. He felt pain all over his body when she touched him, but he also knew, he wanted so much it hurt. All of these were like being in a dream, and yet, he could see, feel even touch with his bare hands.

Eirikr sighed. Soon, the men would be called, and before dark, the women and the children had to return to the cave. "Aude..."

"Yes, Eirikr?"

"I want to ask you to do something for me."

"What is it?"

"We will be asked to give all silver things we have. Plates, cups, knives, chains, pendant." he removed his silver necklace. "But I want you to wear this." he turned around, and gave it to Aude.

Aude bent her head, so Eirikr could put the necklace around her neck.

"If what the Göter said about the beasts were true, then may it protect you from harm."

"The völva's pendant. What did she say when she gave it to you?"

"That it will protect me from harm." Eirikr said, and felt bad about it. He lied. But he could not tell the truth about what Linnéa said, that his house would be cold, and his line would be broken. The last thing that Aude would want to hear was that she could not bear any children. No, he could not do that to her.

Aude touched the pendant that hung on his neck. "Griselda's." she said. "She loves you."

"Why do you say that?"

"This is her mother's pendant. And she gave it to you."

Aude's voice sounded different. She sounded annoyed, and at the same time, afraid. Did she think that he loved or desired Griselda? Was she afraid that he would turn to Griselda, the way Vidarr did? Was this what the men called 'jealous', when their women screamed and shouted, angry that they cared more about other women or their thralls than their own women.

Was Aude jealous?

"Why are you grinning, Eirikr?"

Was he? Oh how he loved to see that face red and her green eyes flickered. Strange, but he loved it. He loved the feeling of being wanted by her, the feeling that she was afraid of losing his attention, which was silly of course.

He kissed her lips lightly. "You are jealous." he said smiling. He knew, he should have not smiled, but he could not help it.

"With a thrall?! Who do you think I am?"

"My woman, who loves me, and doesn't want to share me with any other."

Her face was getting redder.

Eirikr laughed and pulled her into his arm. With one roll, she was beneath him. Passionately he kissed her. "I love you, Aude daughter of Arnvidr." he said. "And I always will."

Aude touched his hair. Her face was still red, but not that red anymore. And the lights in her eyes were softer. "You are a proud man, Eirikr son of Magnus."

"I am."

For some moment they were on that position, until Aude complained that he was too heavy for her. Eirikr rolled himself down, and laying there on the bed with his eyes open. He knew the roof tiles very well, but somehow they looked different. Everything in the room looked in fact, different. He could not explain how or why, they just did. And he liked it.

"Prepare yourself, Eirikr. " Aude said. "Soon they will call you."

He knew.

Eirikr sat up. Aude was bowing beside the table. He did not know what she was doing, but by Odin, what a marvelous view! Her hip was round, and those hills on her bottom...it was just like an invitation to go there, and start it all over again.

Aude turned around. Her eyes were wide open, but she did not say anything. In her hand was a small wooden box.

Eirikr looked down. He was aroused. He sighed. It would be a hard night tonight. He would be in The Long Hall, or made patrol, and Aude would be in the stone room. _Curse the battle, curse the Göter, curse that boy! Aude and I would spend the night together in many ways we would and could imagine, if they were not here!_

Aude brought the box to the bed. "I have something for you. My mother once said, that her mother and the mothers of her mothers before her, always gave a pendant to the man that she loved. My mother gave the anchor pendant to my father. I thought about giving a pendant to Vidarr, but there was always something in me that prevented it. I loved Vidarr, yes. But I could not make myself certain to do it. I talked to Alfr about it, and he said, I should take time for myself. To let the feeling come with the time. Alas, the feeling did not go stronger, but weaker.

Now, I don't want to wait for the time to come anymore."

She opened the box, and took out a golden chain with a bronze falcon claw pendant. She put the necklace around his neck, and then kissed him.

Eirikr kissed her back, and wanted to pull her to the bed, and showed her how much he thanked her for the necklace when he heard the horn.

The time had come for the men to gather themselves in the Long Hall, and the women and children and those who could not fight to prepare themselves to go to the cave.

Eirikr held her tight. It was not yet Mid-evening, but seemed to him, the night had come much too soon. He shuddered. The thought of seeing that marble skin man brought coldness to his back. And he could not get rid off the feeling that the meeting or the fight against sons of Fenrir that they would have, would not be the only chance that he would see him.

*********


	18. Chapter 18

**Note**: I know in SVM, Godric was not Eric's maker. But I just love the way Allan Hyde portrayed Godric, I can not resist but to include him.

Chapter Eighteen

Sookie bit her lips hard. She tried, she swore in the name of everything that holy to her, she would not cry. But it seemed so difficult.

One thousand years. One. Thousand. Years. And Eric still had that fucking pendant hanging on his neck! Combined with that black ugly leather from his slave. His slave!!! Not from his countess, not from his other 'in' girl, no. But from his slave! The slave who broke the heart of his wife – well she had not been his wife when that bitch did it, but still the same.

Tears ran down on her cheek. It was hot, and Sookie did not like it. She wanted to be strong, she wanted to be tough, and not an emotional wreckage who was crying because of jealousy over two women from one thousand years ago!

Eric sat at the edge of the bed. He did not bother to turn around to see her. _Oh, why shall he? He is not here. He is somewhere in the forest or in the prairie, doing threesome as far as I concern!_

"What do you want me to say, Sookie?" asked Eric. "What do you want to hear? Do you want to hear that I forgot my wife, that memory of hers was gone, just like her body and her grave? Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"No." Sookie wiped off her tears.

"Then what?"

"You kept that thing from that bitch, your slave!"

Eric turned around. His eyes got smaller. When he spoke, Sookie saw his fangs were out. "That bitch, that slave was my first lover after my wife had been dead. She was the one who brought me back to live, helped me through the worst and the hardest time in my life. And when I was turned, she was the first one who accepted me, and fed me with her blood._ That bitch_ had a name. And the next time you spoke about her, you'd better show some respect."

"Or what?"

They looked at each other.

The room's temperature was suddenly dropped. Sookie swore she could see her own breath coming out from her mouth.

Sookie knew, she had crossed the line this time. At any moment, Eric could jump on her, and tear her apart. Those fangs, which bore in her flesh for countless time and gave her pleasure in a way she had never imagined before, now looked like some dangerous weapons of a crazy man. One move, and she's dead. No more smirks and grins, no more 'my lover'-s.

But she could not handle her feelings. Okay, he loved his wife, no question about it. She did not even want to complain about it. But keeping _things_ from his lover, especially the one whom his wife despised, it was just a bit too much for her. And then combined them together, kept them closed to his unbeating heart, as if he wanted to tell _her, _that he could not and would not forget them!

Eric stood up, and then said something in Swedish. Sookie caught words like _misfoster, subba, _and many times of _jävlar-s, _or any written variations of those words. He was loud, almost screaming. She did not know what they meant, but she could imagine they were not exactly complimenting words. And somehow it made her cringe, but relief. The dog, that barked, did not bite, or?

"Women!" Eric said. "I don't know how Pam can stand women! I would take men if I were her. Women are nothing but headaches and nightmares!"

_And something you suck and fuck from time to time._ Sookie continued the sentence in her head. _Women, they are always headaches and nightmares if men can not handle them. If men need women, then they are angels, life saviors, and God knows what else!_

"If Griselda had not been by my side, I would have been mad because of love sick, and may be drowned myself in Vänern. Is that what you wanted Sookie?" Eric asked. His voice was calm, but deeper than normally. And his fangs were still bared to see.

"No."

"Then _what_ do you want, exactly?"

Yes, what did she want? To have Eric free from memory? As a vampire, without memory of how he was or how felt when he had not been turned yet? Did she not wish or want to get to know more about the one and the only Eric Northman, a cold, calculating, manipulative Vampire, The Sheriff of Area 5, whom everybody was afraid of?

"I am sorry," finally Sookie said. "I was being stupid."

"No, you were being stupid, selfish, cold hearted, ignorant, full of yourself, bitchy, headless..."

"Okay, okay." Sookie snapped him. "I am sorry. Satisfied?"

Eric returned to the bed. But he kept distance with her.

_He is angry. _Thought Sookie. _Really angry._

And she did not know what to do. This was the first time Sookie saw Eric angry like this.

The room was quiet. There was no other sound but the soft humming sound from the air conditioner, and her own heart beat. The padded walls seemed to suck the air, and made her chest heavy.

It looked like she was the one who had to make the first move. Eric sat on the edge of the bed, and did not make any movement. He looked like he was in his catatonic position. Nothing moved, not even his hair.

Carefully, Sookie moved closer to him. She did not want to make any sudden movement, because she did not want Eric to attack her instinctively. Softly, she removed his hair that covered his neck, and then she kissed his neck, then under his ear, his ear, his cheek...she put her finger on his chin, pushed his face so that he faced her now, and then kissed him on his mouth.

Eric did not give any reaction. But when she moved away, he caught her hand, and then kissed her.

"I don't know how a woman like you can drive me crazy." he said, between his kisses. "You are like a disease without a cure."

_Great, now I am not only stupid, selfish, cold hearted, ignorant, arrogant, headless bitch, but I am also a disease._

But she returned his kisses, nevertheless.

After a while, he let her go. His fangs were sunk in, his finger dried the tears she had cried.

"I never opened my self to anybody before, not even to Vic."

"And I thank you for that." Sookie said. "I just can not understand why you kept them. The pendant yes, but combine them together?"

"Because Griselda was loyal to me, and I shall be loyal to her. She should not be forgotten. No, I did not love her, may be I did, I don't know. I don't understand love and all its fine details._"_

_And I don't understand you. You and your viking values of loyalty._

"So, you actually had met somebody with telepathy power and fairy blood, back then." Sookie tried to change the situation between them. "And he was your friend."

"Yes, Gunnarr was a good friend."

"And a shifter, a vampire, and a werewolf."

"Yes."

"Did you see how Hamr change into...a cat?"

"No. Not into a cat. But into something else."

"Did you tell your friend Hallsteinn?"

"No."

"And why not?"

"Hamr was not in Erlingsäng when I looked for him. Hamr and Nenna left Erlingsäng after the battle. And Hallsteinn went with them. And it was better that way."

"Why?"

"If Hamr had stayed in Erlingsäng, I would have killed him."

"Why?"

"Such a coward like him did not deserve to live." he said, angrily.

_Is that why he despises Shifters?_

Sam, her boss, who was a shifter said to her once, that it would make him feel better, if Eric did not pick her up from working. It's not because he was jealous or worried about her safety, but it was more of comfortable feeling. "Eric looks at me like I was a vermin or something. Is there anything I said or did that made him act that way to me?"

Sookie did not know the answer either, until now.

Eric laid himself down. His blue eyes had a shade of gray now. Sookie noticed tonight, that his eyes changed colour according to what he felt. She was never really sure whether Eric still had something which she could call "feelings". But since he told her his life story, she saw that the colour of his eyes had range of blue. Sometimes icy blue, when he nicked her, and pale and blur blue when he was deep in emotion meanwhile remembering his wife, and now gray blue, with a touch of yellow around his iris. That combination of colours made his eyes hard, and cold. She had to pay more attention to it, in the future. Then, may be, just may be, she would know how Eric really felt.

Sookie laid down beside him. "Do you also keep the pendant from...Griselda?"

"Yes." Eric said. "With the golden chain from Aude."

"There are not here, I suppose."

Eric did not answer, he just smirked.

_Damn! Now I sound like a jealous girl friend again. I have to stop this._

"You did not really like Godric at the beginning, did you?" Sookie said.

"No."

"But then, you loved him....I mean loyal to him."

"Yes." Eric looked at her. His blue eyes were softer. "Like I had never been loyal to anybody else."

*************


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

The meeting with The Göter was easier than what Eirikr had thought. Bertram the Göter came with his master and two other marble skin people. One was a man, the other was a woman. None of the skin marble people stood near the cask, in which the silver was stored.

The arrival of the woman caused a stir among the Svear.

_A woman?! Is a man of Göter ruled by a woman? _

Her name was Isabel of Iberia. She answered to no one, but Lord Godafrid himself. Her skin was also as white as the others. Her black hair was rolled, showing her very white neck. There was no jewels, or armour on her, but her hands were all the time like falcon's claws. She was ready to attack. Any wrong move from the men, Eirikr was sure, it would not end up well, for the men.

She did not talk much, but her honey colour eyes was always in alert. And when she talked, Eirikr heard the same music like Griselda's voice. If she had not been that white, he could have sworn, that woman was Griselda's sister.

The man was called Stanley of Britons. He was a big man, almost at the same height with Eirikr. He was strong built. Eirikr could not help but compared him with Vidarr. If Stanley had had red hair, instead of dark brown, and blue eyes instead of brown, they could have been mistaken for brothers. He spoke Svear tongue with an intonation Eirikr never heard before. Clearly, he was not from Svearland. Eirikr did not know where Britons was, but if he had a chance, he would sail to the West and tried to find Britons, or even _Na Trosaichean. _

The conversation was short. Bertram and his master wanted to have the silver melted, and Bertram's smith would show them how and what to do with the silver.

"The silver is not enough." he said. "We can only cover our weapons with it. By Tiwaz, I hope it would be enough to fight against them."

"How can you be certain that the sons of Fenrir will come here, to Torkelfors?" some of the men asked.

"They will. They smell the traces of my master and his people in the Forest. They will come."

The next days happened things Eirikr never imagined before. The Göter and The Svears worked side by side. They could not speak properly because of their different tongues, but it did not bother them at all. They used feet and hands to get what they wanted.

And Eirikr found out that The Göter were not beasts like he always imagined. They laughed, made jests among themselves or tried to make a jest for the Svear. They liked to eat and drink, like any Svear. They talked loud, and sometimes Eirikr thought that at any time they would end up beating up each other, but later he realized, it was their fashion of talking. They worked as hard as any Svear, and among them, there were also good hunters, one of them was even better than Hjálmarr. At the beginning Hjálmarr was not so keen with the ideas of hunting together with him, but when he saw the result that he always brought something, when Hjálmarr could not, he decided to hunt together with him. And now, they hunted together, Hjálmarr the Svear and Fabian the Göter.

What amazed Eirikr was how fast and precise The Göter worked. The houses that they burnt down some days ago, were rebuilt by them. They had some kind of measurement that different from the Svear, but it looked like everything was fit with each other. And neat, they worked neat. The wood was cut clean, and he had to admit, the result was better than if he was the one who made it.

The women and children were taken out from the cave, so that they could help making food and fixing garments. The first time the Göter saw the women, their eyes were getting bigger, and they made noises to show their appreciation. The women mostly laughed and smiled, seeing how silly they could be. And the Svear men cursed and swore.

One by one the swords, spears, daggers, and arrows were covered with Silver. The houses were also standing again, not yet good like before, but as good as they could be made. The wall that surrounded the village were also doubled.

Eirikr wished everything could go on like this. In the days, when they were busy working, he still could watch Aude. He had done it before, watched every moves that she made, looked for her when she was not around, but it was different this time. Because Aude would looked at him, and smiled. Sometimes when he stared at her too long, her cheek would blush. And when he could not hold his urge to touch her, he simply stopped whatever he was doing, and stole the time to be alone with her. Whether he would take her hand and drag her to the flower garden, or rushed into their room, it did not matter for him, as long as he could be together with her. And in the night, when he did not have the turn to patrol, he would spend the whole time searching, exploring, finding new parts of her body which would react enthusiastically toward his touches, his kisses. Seeing her flying away, leaving him behind, how her mouth opened, and her eyes closed with a smile on her face, encouraged him to do more. "Non...non...Eirkir...please.." she said between her moaning and panting. "Please, Eirikr...please...." but when he stopped, she would pull him back to his previous position and start touching him. "Please ...." They would do it again and again until they both fell a sleep in each other's arms. Sometimes Eirikr thought, he would not be able to do it again, because in the morning he would find himself almost not to be able to walk, and when he went to urinate, it felt so painful and hot, that he could cry. But in the night when he smelt her scent, or in the day when he saw her walking pass by him, how her hip moved, the feeling to touch her, to be inside her, took over him, that he did not think and did not want to think about what would happen on the next day.

"Even the rain stops falling, Eirikr." said Gunnarr when Eirikr told him why he looked so tired. They were sitting beside a staple of wood, making stakes. Order from Bertram the Göter and his master.

"Not if the rain named Eirikr." Eirikr said.

Gunnar laughed. "You are a proud man. Anybody ever told you that?"

_Yes, Aude._

"Then your woman knows you inside out, my friend. You are doomed."

Yes, he was doomed, in a way that he liked it.

Sometimes it's strange to have somebody who said or answered to the things he said in his head. He had to tell himself again and again that Gunnarr _could hear _him without _hearing_ him literally. It was just weird. And he felt like Gunnarr intruded the very sacred place of his, which nobody, not even Aude, may enter. It was a place where he could be who he was, without being afraid of what other might say or think. But again, he was always himself. And he was never afraid of what other might say or think, especially not Gunnarr.

"Do you know why we are asked to make these stakes?" Eirikr asked.

Gunnarr shook his head.

"Did your father say anything?"

Again, Gunnarr shook his head.

"What about the Göter? Did they say anything to you?"

Beside Alvar, Gunnarr was the only one who could understand and speak the tongue of Göter. And like always, he managed to charm everybody. Soon than anybody could think, Gunnarr knew almost all of them, and called them by names. In the past, Eirikr wondered how he had done it, but now he did not ask anymore.

"Bertram's order. They did not ask much question." Gunnarr said. "But I think, if we are out of weapons, these stakes would be helpful too."

"You really think this wood can kill the sons of Fenrir if our swords not?"

"Do not underestimate the power of trees, Eirikr. Patient they are, but deep. And they can break any strongest house, if you give them the time. That's what my mother said."

"Göter are strange folk." said Eirikr.

"Not much stranger than their master. Do you realize that they come only at night? And always leave before the sun rises?"

No, Eirikr did not pay attention to those details. But now that Gunnarr said it, he realized that he never saw those tree marble skin people around the meadow in day light. It was strange indeed. To think of it, he also never saw them eating or drinking. When they came and stood around the fire with the rest of men, they would only sit or stand, watching. If they never ate, how could they have such a strength?

"It's a pity, that they come only after dark." Gunnarr said.

Gunnarr's voice was like he was remembering something. Did Isabel please his eyes?

"Eirikr, are you certain that you can not listen to somebody's thought?"

"Why are you asking me?"

"It seems like that you know what my heart desires."

Gunnarr was in love. With Isabel of Ibera. Only after some days of seeing her. Did he forget about what he himself said, that Isabel was just like Lord Godafrid. Her thought was empty, and he was like entering a burrow of a dead woman?

"Is she or is she not drawn to you, because of your blood?"

"I don't know, Eirikr. But if she asked me to, I would be more than willing to give it to her."

"Your blood? But why, Gunnarr? Why Isabel?"

"Did you ever know a woman who can stop talking? Well, how can you? You know only one woman. But your mother is also a woman, and when she was angry with you, she could really talk without end, and your mother is already a woman with not so many words. Now, any other woman who has many words, imagine what is going on inside her head! By Odin, she was even thinking when she and I were together, on bed! Not about me, but about things, daily things, like cooking or clothing!"

_Do they?_

"And if somebody like Isabel comes along, whose head you can not listen to, somehow it's different. It's peaceful. And she doesn't talk so much, either. Combination of both, on bed, by Odin! I am sick of dreaming about her, longing to touch her!"

"But you have seen her only since...what? Three days ago?"

"Forget not, my friend. You saw Aude only a night, and you were madly in love with her."

True.

"There are women who suck us dry only by looking at us. Aude, for you. And Isabel for me."

"You will find a way, my friend. You and your charming tongue."

"Let's hope that it will not be too long. Otherwise......." he stopped.

"What?"

"Nothing. But with the danger is lurking around our front door, do you not have a feeling, that days are getting shorter than the usual, that your days are numbered?"

"Do not talk such a rubbish, Gunnarr. The days _are_ shorter, we _are_ entering winter. The sun is never friendly to us in winter time. And you are only five winters before me, why such a thought, my friend?"

"You're probably right. Dark days always give me a foul mood. I wish my mother was here, there are questions I want to ask, and only her who can lighten the burdens I have in me."

"Sing a song, my friend. Who knows, she will listen to you."

"You are indeed such a friend, Eirikr. And a spirited one."

Eirikr disliked to see Gunnarr sad. But there was nothing he could do. He could not and did not want to talk to any of those marble-skin people. The way Lord Godafrid looked at him every time he and his people came to check their preparation always made the hair on the back of his neck standing. He did not like to be watched, as if he was a horse or a ship, which was measured, how good or how healthy he was. And the way Lord Godafrid watched him, was the way his father would watch a ship before he launched it into the water. Checked every part of the body, to make sure that it was perfect. He was just a man, with flaws and strength. And it was none of Lord Godafrid's matters if he made mistakes, or unpleased him.

And as the day of the full moon was getting closer, every men who could hold swords were asked to join the training for the war strategy. Again, Bertram insisted. He knew that Svear were mighty warriors and worthy opponents, but there was nothing wrong with practicing. "Practice makes somebody an expert, and not the other way around," he said.

During the practice, Lord Godafrid would only stand, and watch. So did Stanley, and Isabel. Their cold white faces looked whiter under the deem light of fire. But their eyes were like falcon. They could fix their eyes on somebody, and did not blink. _Make sure that you hit their heart, not the stomach, not other places, but the heart. And then you must cut their head off. _That's what Bertram barked, most of the time. _Never ever fight them alone. I don't care if you believe Thor or Tiwaz is at your side, never, I repeat, never fight them alone. Their strength is ten times than yours, always have somebody cover your back."_

And nobody seemed to concern, that Olaf and Hamr were nowhere to be found, except Eirikr and Gunnarr. It seemed like they were swallowed by the earth. No traces of their armour, no traces of their clothes. Olaf's wife said that she did not find him at home when she returned from the cave. He did not take his gold with him, only sword and spear. His gold was still in the wooden cask together with his silver and other jewels. Hamr was also gone like dew in the morning when the sun rose. Puff. Just like that. Jestingly Gunnarr called any skogkatt he saw "Hamr". But Eirikr could not take it as a jest.

"Don't think too much of him, Eirikr." Gunnarr said. "He could be anywhere by now. If he is one of the son of Fenrir, at least, he is far away from here."

No, that's not what he felt. Something told him, Hamr was still around here, somewhere. Lurking out there.

The moon showed its half face. Four days to the full moon. The meadow of Torkelfors had a different face than normally. Shadows of men walked around circling it like the sun walked on the sky of Torkelfors. Bertram and Arnvidr agreed that the lake and the hill on the North had to be guarded heavier than before. The hill and the lake were no longer a protection for Torkelfors but more as the weak point in their whole defend. There was no wall on those parts. They were like hole, open spaces, of the walls.

Eirikr did not have his turn of patrolling that night. He prefer to lay on the bed with Aude, and enjoyed his night with her. But Aude had something else on her mind.

"I want to see the moon." she said. "You remember the first time we saw each other? You were having a bath in Vänern."

How could he ever forget it?

"But it was full moon." he said. "And it's cold out there, and many men walk around the meadow." he snuggled her tight. "Come, let's just stay here. Warm, and cozy." He laid his hand on her hip and started to touch her, when she said,

"You will not regret it. I promise."

They went out. Griselda and Asun who were still talking around the fire in the middle room stopped talking when they saw them out. Griselda wanted to take the sword for Eirikr, but Aude said, "You don't need any sword."

"Aude, Arnvidr said......" Eirikr could not continue his words, because Aude grabbed his neck and kissed him, passionately. And when she let him go, Eirikr could not do anything else, but to follow. He saw Griselda turning her face away, and Asun gave Griselda a look with her eyes, as if she wanted to tell Griselda to behave herself. But Eirikr could not react. His head was too heavy to think. Her scent, her kiss, blurred his mind.

Aude took him to the garden. The purple flowers had lost almost all of their leaves, but their flowers stayed. Their sweet smell filled the air. The other flowers looked black and shriveling under the pale light of moon. Aude picked a twig of purple flower, and slipped it above his ears.

"You look mighty fine, Eirikr." she said. "And smell good."

Eirikr smiled. "It's the flower that you just gave me that smell good. Not me." but he liked hearing her praise.

They sat down beside the lake. Eirikr laid his head on her lap and played with her hair. The light of the moon was not yet strong enough to brighten the night, but he could see how the water became shimmering, and moved slowly reaching the land. The silver ripple rolled themselves softly before they broke, and spread the bubbles at their feet. The sky was clear. Some stars were seen like jewel stones on a black box.

The air was not as cold as he thought, or was it because he himself felt warm inside?

"Do you see those stars?" Aude pointed out some stars. "That one, that one, and that one. You can see a shape of bird if you connect each points. My father said, it is a shape of Phoenix bird. Legend from a far land said, that Phoenix bird would burst himself into a flame, before it would be born new, raise himself from his ashes. And that one, that one, and that one..." Aude pointed out some more stars. "They are like two fishes swimming together but facing other direction."

Eirikr squinted his eyes, and tried to see what Aude saw, but he could only saw twinkling lights. He was even not sure that he saw the same stars that Aude had pointed.

"My mother taught me about the stars. And my father too."

"You should teach me. I am as blind as a mole." Eirikr said. A Svear, who could not read stars would be lost at seas, that's what his father told him. He tried, he did, but he still could not. May be if Aude taught him, here, beside the lake, and then after that or during that, they could make love under the star, surrounded by the smell that he loved dearly.....

"I know." Aude said. "Gunnarr told me."

"Did he?" Eirikr got up, and then he took her to his arms.

"Eirikr, what are you doing...I want to teach you...You should learn...."

But he did not let her finish her sentence. He put her down and then rolled himself around, to find a better position. Aude protested and laughed at the same time. And her protests stopped when he started kissing her. She even kissed him back.

Eirikr was getting more excited. Impatiently, he tried to remove the under garment beneath Aude's gown. Women, why did they have to dress so much? Why not like men, simply trousers, and that was it.

"Eirikr," Aude stopped his hand. "Did you hear that?"

"What?" he kissed her. He hated distraction. He did not want Aude to be distracted too.

But she had been already distracted. She sat up. "Listen."

Eirikr wanted to complain, that it was not fair of her, to make him all heat up, and let him down like that, when he heard steps. Running steps. He wanted to search for his sword, but then he remembered, he did not have any with him. Instinctively he pulled out one of the flower tree. And he felt ridiculous when he saw what he had in his hand. A branch of purple flower. "Great!"

The steps were closer, and then he heard, "Eirikr!"

It was Gunnarr's voice.

_I am here, Gunnarr!_ He shouted in his head. _Near the lake, among the purple flowers._

Then he grabbed Aude's hand. "Behind me, Aude." he whispered.

Aude stood behind him, grabbing his waist. Her hands were cold. She was afraid.

"I am here, my lover." he said, tried to calm her down, calm himself down.

The bushes of the purple flowers were open. Gunnarr, out of breath, his tunic was torn, blood running from his shoulder. His face was as pale as the moonlight.

"What happened?"

Another steps were heard.

Gunnarr ran towards Eirikr.

Eirikr made a position ready to attack, and he felt more ridiculous. He could only use his hands, because this purple flowers branch would not harm anybody but himself.

The bushes were pushed like it was a bunch of dried twigs. Isabel of Iberia. Standing in front of them with her falcon's claw hands, and blood at the corner of her mouth. "I am sorry, Gunnarr." she said. And before anybody could do anything, she turned away, and disappeared.

***************


	20. Chapter 20

**Note:** This chapter is dedicated to Sarah (Isabel I wrote with you on my mind, my dear). The faerish language is my creation, therefore, it belongs to me. The known characters belong to Charlaine Harris.

Chapter Twenty

Gunnarr sat in front him beside the fire, but his hands, which held a jug full of mead, were shaking. The blood from his shoulder stopped running, and his pale face was again red.

"I should have not run, I should have not run."

"Gunnarr, she attacked you. We should go to Arnvidr, and told him."

"No, she did not."

"But I saw it. Your shoulder was bleeding, and you asked for help."

"No, I did not. Yes, it was bleeding, but it was not because she attacked me."

Eirikr looked at Gunnarr, confused.

"If she was not attacking you," Aude asked. "Then what was she doing?"

Gunnarr drank up his mead, and asked Griselda to fill his jug up. "What I am going to tell you, stays in this house." he said.

Eirikr looked at Griselda and Asun. "You heard that."

They nodded.

Gunnarr took a deep breath. He wiped off his mouth, drank his mead, and then told his story.

*****************

"I could not stand it anymore, having so many questions in my head, as if being able to listen to somebody's else was not enough for me, I must have my own thoughts bothering me day and night.

Isabel of Iberia. Her name echoed in my thought like the sound of echo in a stone room. Bouncing from right to the left, over and over again, until the sounds filled up the room, and other sounds were swallowed and voiced the same sound, _Isabel, Isabel, Isabel._

I had been doomed since the first time I laid my eyes on her. I used to laugh at Hallsteinn and his obsession on Nenna, but if he knew what I had been thinking lately, he would be the one who laughed. I could barely sleep, my appetite was less than normal, even the mead tasted like water. The days seemed to drag, and all conversation around me was not interesting anymore. Some men tried to talk to each other, Svear and Göter, ended up talking beside each other, since none of them understood the meanings. In different situation I would try to speak for each of them. But now I only listened and felt restless.

At nights, it was different. Isabel was always there, standing quietly beside her master. Stanley too. But his presence was not an interesting subject of mine. I have to admit, the way they – Isabel, Stanley, and Lord Godafrid, looked at me, always made my hair standing. Had they been cats, they would have licked their lips, jumped all over me, and bitten me.

I asked Conrad, one of the Göter who was always around them, and seemed to be their servant what he knew about his master and his people. He said, they were good masters. They protected them and cared about them. I tried to listen to his head, strange. His head was empty. Normally people would have second opinion that they kept for themselves inside their heads, but with Conrad, it was like talking to a well. My own voice echoed inside his head, but his own voice was not there.

Eirikr, whom I could always depend on for good conversation, or interesting findings, mostly looked tired these days. Sometimes he could not even open his eyes meanwhile making stakes, or patrolling. There were times when I had to drag him, literally, otherwise he would fall a sleep, standing. My friend, the young lover. I felt almost pity for him. Working hard in the day, and in the night when he should be sleeping, he had another matter in his hand. Not that he didn't enjoy what he's doing, but his mind and body would be needed somewhere else. I would tell him for sure that he should stop whatever he's doing for the moment, but only when the time was near. I just would let him drawn himself in happiness for now.

But like always, that friend of mine seemed to know what my heart most desired. And he asked questions, like always. Questions which I myself did not dare to ask. What if Isabel was drawn to me because of my blood? What if I was nothing but like a prey to a wolf?

_Ah mother, where are you when I need you?_

Often I asked that question. Were my mother here, she would know what to do. She must have known something about the people of Lord Godafrid. She would be able to help me to find a way out. Because I could not stand being looked at, and not brave enough to look back. Isabel was a woman, after all. Any woman, whom I knew or met, I always got, if I wanted her. But this Isabel was different. There was something about her that I could not explain. Something hidden. The fact that I could not walk into her head and listened to what she said inside already made her interesting to me. But the way she carried herself. Quiet, and yet alert. She moved like some noble women I saw on the haven. Elegant, it was like everything surround her bowed a little when she passed them by. Her face was young, but her eyes, which were like colour of amber stone, showed experiences of age. And there was sadness, that I was eager to know why it was there in her beautiful eyes at the first place.

One night, when the moon was only quarter, I followed Eirikr's advise to sing and send messages to my mother under the trees. I had to talk to my mother. I wanted to know who or what Isabel and her people were and why they were so drawn to me.

I went to the forest, a bit away from the Göter tends, far enough that they could not see me, but I still could hear them. In this time of trouble, a man had to know how far he could go, so that he would not trap into a problem and could not find a solution. And the problem of these days were the sons of Fenrir. I had to make sure that if I needed some helps, the Göter could hear my voice. Not that I was afraid, I knew my strength. I may have been able to talk them to death, but not to fight them with sword alone.

I put some flowers and her beloved leaf, the ivy, under the tree, and sang in her tongue, which was difficult to be spoken, and for those who did not understand, it would sound gibberish.

_Onõ idne umarils_

_umkana hutub umhisak_

_onõ idne umarils, oh ubi_

_ukawij sapmar'id _

_uknadab sapmar'id_

_umkana hutub umhisak, oh ubi_

_iagab ngõw kecip, uka õsõr ohdop_

_nawa __õ__w__õ__tu igneb  
_

_uka ukalm ap'nat hara_

_ap'nat nauj'ut_

In Svear's tongue it meant:

_where are you,_

_I need your pity_

_where are you, oh dearest Mother_

_my soul is taken_

_my body is forsaken_

_I need your pity, oh dearest Mother_

_like a blind man I feel the same_

_under the twinkling star, or the light of sun_

_I am walking on an unknown path _

_in an unknown game_

"I don't know that you are talking _faerish." _A voice made me turn around. Isabel.

"I don't know that you understand _faerish._"

"I've been to many lands. I met a lot of people, and heard a lot of tongues. I don't understand the meaning of your song, but I recognize the tongue." she said. "And you sing well."

"Thank you." I say.

She looked at the flowers and the leaves. "For your beloved woman, I suppose."

"Yes." I answered. And I feel stupid. Yes, the flowers were for my beloved woman, but not _my_ woman. They were for my mother. But how could I explain that?

"Lucky one."

"Actually, it is for my mother." I decided to be honest. There was no reason to hide, or?

"Your mother?" she smiles. "I never thought I would witness a Svear singing a song for his mother."

I felt my face hot. Was it that bad? For those who saw their mothers every day it was easy to say that, but for people like me, who see their mothers only on Summer time, even then not the whole Summer time, they would sing songs or wish that their mothers come on the time of troubles!

"I am not every Svear, then." I said, trying to hide my own embarrassment.

"I never say you are."

So, she noticed me after all. Interesting.

"Are you not supposed to be train yourself with the others?" she asked. "To be alone in the forest breaks the rules that we agreed on."

"And you, are you not supposed to be with your master?"

"Godric? He is my leader, not my master. I am a free woman, I am free to walk on any path I choose."

"And you chose to follow...how you call him? Godric?"

"Yes, Godric."

"Then you are a free woman. Not so many women can be as free as you."

"Yes, pity for them."

"And your man does not disagree?" I asked. _Nice move, Gunnarr. Nice! One conversation, and you already asked her about her man!_

"Why don't you ask me, if I have a man or not, and get on with it."

"Fine. Do you have a man?"

"No. My men died some times ago. In the battles against the sons of Fenrir. And you? It looks like you are not from here. Do you leave your woman in your village?"

"I don't have a woman."

She raised her eyebrow. "You don't desire men, do you?

"No." I say. "It's just complicated." I could not say that I can listen to their thoughts, and could not stand what I heard, can I?

Suddenly, before I knew it, Isabel pushed me back, until my back is against the tree. She looked me in the eye, and spoke with deeper voice, "You will remember my kiss, but you will forget whatever you will witness later."

She wanted to kiss me? And why should I forget whatever I would witness later? What would I witness anyway? She didn't have to be worried. Of course I would remember her kiss, I had been wanting it since the first day I saw her. And whatever I would witness later, if she wanted me, I would forget it, or pretend to forget it.

But before I was able to say anything, she kissed me. Strong and demanding, but cold. Her lips were cold, her tongue was cold. As if I had been touched by ice. And yet I was aroused, I felt my heart beating faster, and my head was heavy with my own thought of wanting her more. I kissed her back, grabbed her neck, and changed our position. Now she was the one whose back against the tree. Impatiently I opened her tunic. She dressed up like a man, with a lot of buttons on the front. And her skin was smooth. Cold, yes. But smooth. I felt like touching solid milk. Her breasts were voluptuous, round, and tight. They felt like a block of ice in my hand, but nevertheless the sensation of touching them was much bigger than the coldness that I felt. Encouraging me to do more.

Suddenly I hear a sound, "click", at the same time I heard Isabel gasping.

Was somebody here?

I wanted to see if there was somebody, but Isabel grabbed my head, and put it on her neck. Softly I kissed that marble neck, and went down to her shoulder, and I wanted to kiss her breast, when I heard somebody says,

"You just never learn, don't you Isabel?"

Isabel pushed me, and as fast as she pushed me onto the tree, she set herself free, and stood some steps away from me.

How did she do that?

In front of us was Stanley of Bretons.

Isabel put herself in a fight position. Eirikr once told me, her hands were like falcon's claw every time she felt, according to Eirikr, under threat. And now I saw, they were. Not only that, her legs were open, and she bent her body. Stanley of Bretons did the same thing.

Then they spoke to each other using tongue I did not understand. I supposed they did not want me to understand whatever they were arguing about.

Suddenly they stopped.

I did not know from where, Godric was there. Looking at both of them. He did not say anything, only looking at them, and slowly both of them on normal positions again.

"I am sorry, Godric." Isabel said.

For what? For kissing me? Hey, she should have asked me. I did not regret it at all.

Stanley wanted to say something, but Godric raised his hand, and Stanley closed his mouth. I could see that Stanley did not like it, but it seemed he did not dare enough to disobey Godric.

"Gunnarr," Staring at me, Godric said in deeper voice. "You'd better go."

Why did they think by looking at me, I would do what they said? I was not their thrall. But I thought it would be better if I did. Three of them surrounded me, and there was nobody else there. I'd better go. But before I did that, I would show them I was not afraid with them. I grabbed Isabel's waist, and gave her a kiss, long and passionate. She was shaken when I let her go. And with a wide grin, I left.

The next days were easier for me. When they came to the meadow, and sat around the fire with us, talking about how the defend should be made, I just stared at her. My mouth repeated what the Svear said to the Göter, and the other way around, but my eyes fixed on her, and hers on mine. Sometimes I gave her a smile, and as if she understood what I wanted, she smiled back at me. My eyes caught the look that Stanley gave to me from time to time, but I chose to ignore. He looked like he did not quite happy with what was going on between Isabel and I, but who was he for me to care?

I chose to patrol with her, in order to be with her, to hold her hand, and when we were certain that nobody was around, to kiss and touch each other. I realized some Göter thought that I was out of my mind to walk around alone with her, but it was not the first time that somebody called me 'mad', so I chose to ignore. Some tried to tell me, that it would be better if I did not go alone with her, that it was dangerous, and too risky.

"The Wölfe," that's how the Göter called the sons of Fenrir, "would smell you. If you ever touched her, they would attack you first. Her men died in the battles at the first attack. The Wölfe chose them, before they attacked anybody else."

Men? How many men did she have by the way?

I decided not to pursue the answer of the matter. Isabel was a beautiful woman. Surely many men would like to have her as their women. But if she was like what she said she was, she would be the one who chose the men, and not the other way around. And she chose me. I could have said no, but this would be the first time that I let a woman choose me. And somehow, I liked it. There was a feeling of feeling myself erotic in that action.

The moon was high above the sky, when I went to the place where we had agreed to meet. We would meet under the tree where I had given flowers for my mother.

And there she was. Paler than normally, standing under the tree. And she did not dress like a man, she wore a gown. I ran to her. She laughed when I lifted her. Her hair which was let down, was blown by the wind, like a black silk flying on the air.

Slowly, I put her down, and then pressed her strong but softly against the tree. I don't want to hurt her back. My lips searched for her lips, and my hand was carelessly touching her body. She was more than ready when I lifted her legs, and made her free from the garment under her gown.

"I believe, I am in love with you, Isabel." I said. _Fool, _I thought. _Any woman would like to hear that sentence, but Isabel? What happen if she ran away, and thought it was too fast for her? Curse me! Now I am the one who can not stop thinking!_

"Gunnarr," she whispered. "There is something I must tell you."

"Yes, Isabel..." I removed the ribbons that tied that gown together. Slowly her gown fell down, caressing every part of her beautiful curve.

Suddenly I heard that sound again, "click", and before I could look the source of the sound, I heard Isabel saying, "...kiss me on the neck, Gunnarr."

Not only there, Isabel. I could assure you. But yes, I would do.

"What if I tell you I am older than you? Much older."

_Does it matter?_

"And I am not what you think I am?"

I had nothing but only wonderful thought about her. She needed no weary. I put my hands on her mouth. I did not want to hear her talking. Whatever she wanted to say, she could say it later.

I went down with my kiss. With my mouth, I removed the part that covered her breast. How could something so cold taste so delicious? Softly I bit her nipple, and I heard her moaning. Isabel put her legs around my hip, to make my hands free and able to explore her body. Her voice was louder and louder, and suddenly, she tore my tunic apart. And before I knew it, I felt something cut my shoulder through. I gasped. It was painful, but strange, I found myself erecting, stronger than I had ever felt before.

Something cold ran down my chest. I looked at Isabel, and horrified. She was sucking my shoulder. And the cold thing which ran down my chest was my own blood! She was sucking my blood! I pushed her away from me. She was as horrified as I was. Her eyes were wide open, and flickering, like a cat in feeding time. And there were....fangs in her mouth!

I moved away from her. "Don't come near me!" I searched for my sword to realize that I did not have any.

"This is who I am, Gunnarr. Look at me." she spoke with her deeper voice again. "You will forget what you are seeing now."

Surely I would forget a lot of things, but not this one. I pulled my trousers, and moved farther away.

"Gunnarr..." she reached out her hands.

"This is madness!" I shouted.

She moved closer. "You will do what I say..."

_Not this time! _

Without giving her any chance to get closed to me, I turned around and ran."

*********

"Muerto viviente!" suddenly Asun opened her mouth, broke the silence that filled the room.

What?

Asun put her hands in front of her mouth. Her wrinkling hands were shaking. For many thralls, spoken their own tongue in front of their masters could mean death.

Aude took her hand. "I forgive you, dear Asun." she said, bringing a fainted smile on her wrinkling face. Her little eyes were blinking.

"What does it mean?" asked Gunnarr.

"It means 'living dead', Master. The Undead." said Griselda.

The Undead?

Eirikr and Gunnarr looked at each other. _Cold Blood that runs in the body of an Undead. _Linnéa's words rang in Eirikr's head. _If that young Svear leaves the meadow, he would not see the brightness of the sun, nor he could differ the taste of food or sweetness of wine._

"Don't, Eirikr. Don't even think about it." said Gunnarr. "She may have meant me."

"What are you saying?" asked Aude.

"A völva saw my future in her eyes."

"The völva that gave you the pendant?"

Eirikr nodded.

"What did she say?"

"That I would meet an Undead." Eirikr said. He decided to tell Aude, the half of it.

"Then you should have your pendant back." Aude wanted to remove the necklace, but Eirikr stopped her.

"No, my lover. It is yours. What would I be, if harm should come over you?" he smiled. He took Aude to his arms, and looked at Asun. "What do you know about The Undead?"

"Old people in the village of my father, told my father stories, about a peoples who could not die. They roamed the land of the darkness, and in the day they would sleep. They did not eat, they did not drink, but blood. Their teeth and their claws were like tiger's, but normal people would not see them, because they would hide them. They were strong, and beautiful. Anybody who looked them in the eye, would be drawn and forget themselves, and do what they were told."

"Did you, Gunnarr? Did you do what she said?"

"This is madness!" Gunnarr stood up. "No, I did not do what she said...." he wiped off his mouth. "This is nothing but a foolish story from a foolish old thrall!"

"But what if she is correct, Gunnarr?"

"Stop it, Eirikr. You would draw yourself into madness, if you believed in what Linnéa said!"

"You are probably right." Eirikr said. Aude did not say anything, but her mouth was tight. She was worried. And Eirikr saw, Griselda's eyes were in tears, meanwhile Asun was shaken. The last thing that he wanted was having three women in panic. "It was a raving talk from a raving woman."

Gunnarr nodded. "That is a spirit, my friend."

Erikir tried to smile, and pray, that his smile looked genuine enough for the women. But he knew, Gunnarr could tell, that he did not say what was inside his head.

"What will you do to Isabel, Gunnarr?"

"I don't know, Eirikr. I really don't know.

******************


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty-One

"So, they could not glamour Gunnarr, the way Bill can not glamour me." Sookie opened the plaits, and let Eric's hair tangled with hers. She could not tell which hair whose now. She knew, they had different colour, but under this deem light, they looked like they belonged to a person. Softly, she touched his forehead. That big Svear vampire laid with his eyes closed on her breast. He looked so peaceful, almost dead. Hmh, technically, he was. But still, he was much alive. His long eye lashes moved a little, and his hand were touching her thigh.

"No, they could not. But we did not know what they tried to do to him, back then."

Somehow, it was strange to hear Eric addressed other vampires with 'they'. Normally he would say 'we'.

He smiled. "It is a paradox, isn't it." he said, as if he could listen to what I thought.

"May be Gunnarr was right after all." Sookie said. "You can read mind."

"No, I can not. To be honest, it is not fun. It is like I am intruding their most private sphere. And like I said, it is not fun. I like to watch people battle with their minds and try to figure out what I will say or do. It amuses me how people twist and scratch their hair or face to find a clue. Besides, I have you."

"Did you ever try, Eric, to glamour me?"

"No."

"Because you know that it doesn't work, or is there any other reason?"

"Why should I command you to do the things I want you to do? It is more intriguing and more interesting to give you ideas that you do it because _you _think it was _your_ ideas, and _you_ want to do it, and not because it was _my _ideas, and _I _want you to do it. The result is the same, but the process itself...let's just say …... stimulating."

Now, this was Eric whom Sookie knew. Tricky and manipulative. Had the day of mourning ended, and Eric returned to his old self? Softly, she cuddled him, like a little girl cuddled her big teddy bear. She would miss this day, when it was over. The day where Eric opened himself wide, and became vulnerable in her arms.

Eric touched her arms with the tip of his finger. Slowly, caused some goosebumps on it. And it was not because his finger was cold. "I love you, Sookie Stackhouse."

Sookie felt her heart stop beating. Did she hear correctly? Did Eric Northman, the mighty vampire of Area 5, just said "I love you" to her, Sookie Stackhouse, a bar maid from Bon Temps?! Moment, moment. She had to pinch herself so that she knew she was not just dreaming or hearing thing. Ouch, it's painful. So, it was not a dream.

"What are you doing?" Eric turned around. "If you want to hurt yourself, allow me to show you how. You will not only feel the pain, but you will also not be able to forget how I teach you. I promise you."

Sookie kissed him, passionately, wrapped his tongue with hers, and made herself out of breath before she let him go. "I love you too, Eric Northman."

His eyes were small, almost closed. "There were many bad faiths that came to my path, Linnéa the völva saw them in her eyes. But the longer I live, the more I can see, that they were not bad, they were just my faiths. To fall in love with Aude, and brokenhearted when she left me, and being cursed for not able to love anybody else the way I loved her, until I saw you. The woman from the South, who will posses and own me." he touched Sookie's face. "I will not call it bad, let alone a curse, like many people might have thought."

Sookie touched the cleft that cut his chin into two. Eric did not use the word 'die' for Aude. He said "she left me", as if he still had a hope that one day, his wife would return. Something inside her was painful, like being stabbed with an unseen knife, but Sookie decided not to acknowledge the feeling. Eric was with her now, said that he loved her. It should have been enough. His wife died, and would not return. She did not need to be afraid that Eric would run to her.

"I suppose, I should be thankful to her." she forced herself to smile. "But it was Gunnarr who fell in love with Isabel, and not you. He was the one who met the Undead." The word 'undead' sounded very strange in Sookie's ears. She was with one of them now, but it looked like, the word itself did not touch Eric so much.

Eric turned around, and put himself on the same position. Leaned on her breasts, but now, he was the one who took Sookie's hands, and wrapped himself with them. He wanted to be cuddled.

"The thing with prophecy is," he said. "It should not be interpreted word by word. At that time, we also thought the same, that it was about Gunnarr and Isabel. But it turned out to be different."

"Does Isabel still talk to you about Gunnarr, since both of you knew each other, like forever."

Eric looked at Sookie. For a moment he did not say anything, but Sookie saw his jaws were getting harder. Then coldly he said, "No."

"She doesn't talk about it, or you don't want to talk about it."

Eric did not answer.

Sookie kissed his hair. How she wished she could simply open his head, and walked on his mind. She may not like what she would see, but at least she could understand what he was thinking. How all the small parts in his head worked, schemed every moves he made, or unfolded the memory he might keep.

_Is it possible that a man can be full of mysteries? Dangerous, strong, loveable, vulnerable, open minded, not afraid of tell other people what he thinks, and at the same time keep a lot of things for himself?_

May be not, unless that man was Eric Northman.

"You think too much." his voice drew Sookie back to the room.

Heh, this would be the first time that somebody said that she thought too much.

"I do not." Sookie said, smiling.

"Yes, you do. Otherwise you would ask me with a lot of questions."

Sookie pressed him tight. "Does it bother you?"

"No." Eric kissed her hand. "Does it bother you?"

_What does it mean? Of course it doesn't bother me that I...._

Sookie looked down. Eric was looking at her with a smirk on his face. He was nicking her! Damn, she fell for it again.

Eric touched her face. "Your face is red, now." his voice was trembled. "Like an apple." Suddenly, a drop of tear blood rolled down from the corner of his eyes. "Like an apple."

Sookie bowed her head to kiss those tears. She knew, Eric was seeing his wife now, and not her.

Eric turned around, and held her hip tight. He buried his face on her stomach. His body was shaken.

Sookie held him tight. "Ssst, Eric. You are safe now. You are safe."

*********************


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

The day was slowly falling into the night. The darkness crept on the land, covering every part of it with its colour. Black. As black as the shadow of a man under the day light. The moon was round and full, hung herself over the hill. The meadow of Torkelfors looked bright. Eyes could see each and every corner without the help of the torches, as clear as day time.

On other days, the meadow would be filled with laughters and happy voices. The women would dance around the fire, and the children would play. Meanwhile the men would tell their stories of their journey on the long ships to far far away land. Jugs would be filled with mead after mead, and on the fire, fresh red meat would be grilled.

But now, all men were standing on their posts. And waiting.

Eirikr was on the North Post, facing the hill. His eyes were searching every movement he could see under the hill, but his mind was running to the waterfalls. Aude and other women were sent to the cave early in the days. They were all equipped with silver covered daggers. On their body hung silver chains, either necklaces, or belts. On the exit doors, they put stakes. The men had said good bye to their women and children. Eirikr held Aude tight, and may be he would never let her go, if Gunnarr had not reminded him. In Griselda's ear, he whispered, "Guard Master Aude with your life, Griselda. And I'll guard you with mine." Strange, Griselda was not all in tears, like normally. Her face was hard. She bowed a little, and left to follow Aude.

Gunnarr was standing beside him. Different from the days before, he looked all content. It seemed like he had made up with Isabel.

On the first day after his meeting with Isabel, he had been in the foulest mood Eirikr had ever seen. Complaining about almost everything, Gunnarr was really hard to bear with. Every single word that Eirikr had said was swallowed by the wrong throat. If he had said "flower", "sky" or even "hungry" would made Gunnarr angry. Nobody was willing to sit or get near him that day. Even the Göter who often asked him about the names of things, and tried to speak Svear tongue, chose to stay as far as possible from him. Until Eirikr could not stand it anymore and said to him, either he talked to Isabel, and unloaded all the thoughts he had on his head, or he left him alone. Otherwise, he would be the one who get rampaged over him!

On the second night, Gunnarr was nowhere to be found. In the next morning, he had a wide grin on his face. And new wound on his shoulder. Isabel must have bitten him again. "Leave it," he said, when Eirikr asked him. "It will heal soon." He was right. On the midday, he was all fresh. The wound had disappeared.

Last night, Gunnarr was behaving like a drunken man. He was with Isabel most of the time, kissing her, holding her in his arms, touching her. He did not care with all those eyes that stared at them both. He did not even care that Stanley was eying him all the time, like a jealous man, no, even worse, like a beast eyed his prey. Eirikr had to fix his eyes on him. He did not want anything to happen to him. May be he _was_ drunken, of Isabel.

"You are a loyal brother, young master." Lord Godafrid said to him. "I will be honored to have such a brother like you."

From all people, it was Lord Godafrid who seemed to notice what he was doing. One side, Eirikr was proud that the master of Göter noticed him. But on the other side, he thought it was quite disturbing to know that Lord Godafrid gave a great deal of attention to him. Why was he drawn to him? He had no fairy mother, like Gunnarr!

Lord Godafrid looked somewhere in the darkness and said, "You have a spirit that I have not witnessed for a long time, Master Eirikr. It will be like having a bright beacon, to have somebody like you, on my side." he gave him a tint smile, and then he left.

A sudden movement interrupted Eirikr's thought. A bird landed in front of him. Not any kind of bird, it was a falcon. Somehow, it looked familiar to him. Ah, yes. This was the falcon which had been with him, when he had went hunting with Hjálmarr last month. "Hey, you." he said, touching its head. "The forest is no longer safe for you, is it?"

"You know this bird, Eirikr?" asked Gunnarr.

"Yes." said Eirikr. "We knew each other, didn't we.....Blå?" Hmh, Blå was not a bad name for a falcon, which face was blue, like this one. "Yes, I will call you Blå, you like it, don't you?"

The falcon spread its wings, and then folded them back.

"Blå?"

"It is a nice name, isn't it?"

"It is a bit strange." Gunnarr said. "It is neither time or place for a falcon. Don't you want to go to a warmer place, like your brothers and sisters, Blå?"

Blå moved its head.

"I consider it as 'no', then." Gunnarr touched its head.

The night was rolling. The moon was above the forest now. But still, there was no sign or sound of the beasts. The forest was quiet. Too quiet for Eirikr. No sounds of night birds, or any other night animals, either. It was just like the bright sky before the heavy rain.

"_Ubi!"_ suddenly Gunnarr said, loud.

"What?"

Gunnarr looked at him with bright eyes. "My mother. She is here!"

Gunnarr's mother?

A soft voice was heard from beneath them. Both them looked down, and there was a figure, gleaming under the moon. It was a figure of a woman, her hair, and her gown was floating on the air. She looked so unreal, in Eirikr's eyes.

"I have to go down." Gunnarr said.

"Gunnarr, we are not allowed to leave our post!"

"By Odin, Eirikr. It's my mother. I have not seen her for a winter!" and before Eirikr could say anything, Gunnarr climbed down. Soon he heard his laughter. From above, he saw Gunnarr and that gleaming figure held each other. Curiousity came over him. He wanted to see how she looked like. Did she or did she not have wings? Surely she gleamed under the moonlight, who knew, she might also have wings.

"Blå, you stay here, and tell me if you see something." he said.

Blå moved its head again.

"Good girl," he said. Then he climbed down.

Eolanda, Gunnarr's mother, was a woman who looked very slender. She could be Gunnarr's sister, but definitely not his mother. She looked so young. And tall. Almost as tall as Eirikr. Her hair was dark brown like Gunnarr's, flowing beautifully until her hip, and her eyes were hazel, just like Gunnarr's. She had eyes like a cat, and her lips were full. Her skin was shimmering, and her gown, which was made of thin colourful layers, did not hide what a beautiful figure she had. Ashamedly Eirikr admitted, Eolanda had more beautiful figure than Aude. If Eirikr ever had a chance to see Frejya, then he wished that she would look like Eolanda.

"You must be Eirikr son of Magnus." said Eolanda. Her voice was like a music.

"Yes." Eirikr said. He felt his face was hot. Why did he have this feeling of being drawn to her? Like he wanted to have her, even for a moment. By Odin, he had Aude, and Eolanda was Gunnarr's mother! Those thoughts were like a counter spell, that broke whatever Eolanda had over him.

"_Ubi, _why are you here? It is such a dangerous time for you to come."

Eolanda touched Gunnarr's face. "You called me, my son." then she smiled. "Your father is here."

"Yes, he is." another voice was heard. Alvar. But not only him. Lord Godafrid, Isabel, and Stanley were also there. All of them looked at Eolanda like they wanted to eat her.

"Alvar, _Ng'untnaj Ukitá !"_Eolanda turned around, and ran to Alvar. Alvar caught her, and held her tight.

Eirikr felt his chest was hot, because of something that he could not explain. With all his might, he tried to get rid off the feeling. _This is not right, _he thought. He looked at Gunnarr, he saw Gunnarr's face was red. He looked uncomfortable. What had she said that made Gunnarr look all red like that?

"_The heart of my life_," Gunnarr hissed. "She calls my father, _the heart of my life_, in front of everybody!"

Eirikr wanted to laugh. It was so strange to see Gunnarr uncomfortable, because his mother was like a little girl who saw her lover. He thought, Gunnarr would be happy to see his parents were happy. But he changed his mind, when he saw Lord Godafrid and the others moved closer and closer to Eolanda. "Gunnarr" he said, drawing his sword.

Gunnarr did the same. "Isabel, leave my mother alone!" he jumped in front of his parents. Alvar released Eolanda's hug, and joined Gunnarr. His sword was drawn.

Eirikr put his sword in front of him, ready to charge.

"Now, now, children." Eolanda said, still in her light voice.

Three of them looked like beasts Eirikr had never seen before. There were fangs in their mouths, and their eyes were flickering, their hands were now not much different from falcon's feet.

Suddenly, somewhere out there, in the forest, a beast howled. And sooner than anybody ever thought, the forest was full with the sound of howling.

"They are coming." said Lord Godafrid.

****************


	23. Chapter 23

**Note: **Thanks a lot for Aurora for her corrections and tips.

Chapter Twenty-Three

The swords were raised, the shield were lifted, and every arrow they had were now flying in the air and landed on the beast. On every corner of the meadow men were screaming, metal were clunking mixed with howling and growling.

"Fire, aim the beasts with fire!!"

Men ran to get torches and threw them at the beasts. But like coming directly from _Hel, _the beasts deflected the fire with their hands.

The sons of Fenrir – the Wölfe, as the Göter called them, were not like wolves the Svear ever saw. Big and tall, almost as big and as tall as a Svear, their bodies were not fully covered with fur. There were here and there parts which could be seen. Not gray, like any wolf, but pink, like a skin of a pig. And they walked on their back feet. For the first glance, they looked like men with wolf skin. Like warriors, they seemed to move in systems. Every group of wolves, they had a leader, which would growl and howl. And they were strong. One blow from their paws, caused death. Some men had already paid the blow with their lives, laying on the cold ground. Some of them were bitten, and eaten, some were being left alone. And they had men with them. Men, who served their needs. Clad in fur, they armoured themselves with axes and spears.

Before long, every men of Svear and Göter was deep inside the battle. Enemies seemed to come from every direction. The men broke down the stakes trap, and then helped by the wolves, they charged in. Their axes and spears met the silver covered swords and spears of the Svear and the Göter.

Eirikr moved his sword as fast as he could, charged any man who come to him. He did not think, he just moved them around. Two men were charging him with their axes, and like a dancer, he turned around, swung his sword, and a scream was heard from their mouth. Each of them was slashed at the stomach and neck.

Suddenly a growl was heard. A huge wolf was standing in front of him. He thrust his sword, but too late, that wolf sent his blow. Like a leaf, he was thrown to the air, and landed on the ground. His chest was painful, and his arm was numb. His head was heavy, and slowly everything was turning and getting dark. From the corner of his eyes, he saw the beast moving closer, and closer. And when the beast bowed its head, with all his might, he drew his dagger and stabbed it to its eyes.

The beast shrieked out an awful sound. It covered his eyes with both hands.

Eirikr pushed himself to stand up, but only able to crawl on his knees. In panic, he searched for his sword. _Steady, _he told himself. _Steady, Eirikr!_

A fast moving wind came toward him, at the same moment, he found his sword again, and with one thrust, his sword went through the heart of the beast. The beast let out a very loud noise, and fell to the ground.

Shaken, Eirikr stood up. With his foot, he pressed the chest of the beast, and drew his sword out. Then something happened, which he could not believe. Slowly, the beast changed its shape. The fur was slowly disappeared, its claws were changing into....hands and feet. Right in front of his eyes, the beast changed into a man. A naked man, but still a man, and not a beast.

A man shrieked at his right. Shockingly, Eirikr turned around. He had been under attacked, but Hjálmarr came just right in time. The man, who had been attacking him, was laying beside him, dead. Hjálmarr smiled and patted him on the shoulder. "Be keen, Eirikr. This is not a normal battle. This is madness. And don't look at the beast. Fabian said it may weaken your heart."

Again, Eirikr nodded.

"Hjálmarr!" Fabian called Hjálmarr.

"I am coming, Brother!" Hjálmarr ran towards Fabian.

Eirikr followed, and saw how Fabian moved his spears against a man and a beast. Swift and smooth. Hjálmarr helped Fabian charging the beast, and Eirikr charged the man. His arm was still painful, but Eirikr did not acknowledge the pain. He held the sword with both hands, and tried to deflect the attack. The man himself was pale and looked like he got injured already. Eirikr felt lighter. But just at the moment when he felt that he was going to win, the man's sword slashed his arm. He felt like he was touching a torch. It burned his flesh, and the pain was so strong, that he felt his head was going to burst. He moved backward, shaken. And when the man charged him again, with his last power, he threw his sword, right through the man's head. That man stopped, and then fell on this back.

Eirikr fell. The ground started to turn around. This was it. This was the day he died, obviously. But then, Aude's figure flashed in front of his eyes. She was picking flowers and turned her face around, as if she heard somebody calling her name. A smile was on her pale face. Her red hair flew on the air, and then she laughed, so sweetly. He felt his heart racing. No, he did not want to die. He would get up, and fight. He would survive, and found his way to see Aude again, to hear her laughs again. No, he must not give up. He tried to push himself again, but darkness slowly came over him. He closed his eyes. He would get some rest, now. He felt his blood running faster and faster. Suddenly, he felt like he was flying. Somebody took him off the ground, and brought him somewhere else. Softly, he was brought down. The sound of the battle seemed so far away, and the air was getting colder. He was shaken. Never he felt so cold like this.

"Drink it." a voice which vaguely familiar told him.

He wanted to ask what he had to drink, but he had no power left, not even to open his eyes.

"Drink it, or you die."

He opened his mouth, and something cold touched his lips. Something very cold, but it tasted sweet, reminded him to the taste of lingonberry syrup that his mother used to make for him. And strange, it smelt like Aude's scent. Greedily he sucked it.

"Yes, my child." he heard a soft laugh. "Drink it." When he sucked it too strong, he heard a gasp, and a whisper. "Easy, my child. Easy."

Eirikr did not know how long it went on, but when he felt new energy flew in his blood, he opened his eyes, and horrified. He was sucking Lord Godafrid's wrist! He was sucking Lord Godafrid's blood, and Lord Godafrid was licking his wound on his shoulder! He pushed him away. Lord Godafrid moved backward, a little. Then he stood in front of Eirikr, licking his lips which covered by blood – Eirikr's blood. His fangs were red from blood, but he was smiling. The light in his eyes was like the light of a beast, watching its prey. "Stay here, my child." he said. "And if you feel better, raise your sword for me."

And then he jumped.

Eirikr wiped off his mouth. Blood. He had just drunk blood. Horrified he looked around. He was at one of the towers. His sword was laid beside him. He forced himself to remember what happened. He was hit by the beast, and then slashed with a sword. His arm. He looked at his arm. There was a big wound on his arm, which right in front of his eyes, slowly closing in. And his chest. It had been so painful, some ribs must have been broken. But now, the pain was gone. He opened his tunic. Nothing there, except some bruises, which like his wound, slowly disappeared.

What was happening to him?! Would he become one of them, the beast or the marble skin people? Panic, he touched his own skin. No, it was like before. No changing colour, and no fur either. He touched his teeth. His teeth were also normal. No fangs.

Eirikr took a deep breath. Nothing changed, except now, he felt like new. Like all those tiredness, and pain was gone.

Slowly he stood up. Yes, he would raise his sword for Lord Godafrid. Not because he wanted to be part of his people, but because Lord Godafrid had saved his life. He could only give his life in return. And when Lord Godafrid called it even, then he would be free from debt.

Down below, the battle was going deeper and deeper. The moon was very high on the sky. Smoke raised, the air was full with smell of fresh blood and burning flesh. There were men shouting and screaming, and the beast howling.

Suddenly Blå landed in front of him. She was wounded. On her wing there was blood running.

"Hey, Girl." Eirikr said. "You'd better go now. It is not a place for you. Fly high, my friend. We will meet again, on better time."

Blå picked his hand softly. As if she wanted to tell him something, she moved her head to the waterfall.

Eirikr followed her hint. He saw a white figure, and two other figures fighting against some beasts and men, not so far from the forest near by the waterfall. They could be Gunnarr, his mother and Isabel. Gunnarr would not be strong enough against them.

"Thank you, my friend."

Swiftly Eirikr climbed down. He was surprised to find himself to be able to move that fast. Even when he despised the fact that he just drank the blood of a man, somehow he was glad that he was still able to continue the fight.

On his way to the place where he saw the fighting, he saw some men were fighting against one beast. The beast was roaring and jumping around. But the men were swift and flick stabbing him with their spears and swords. On other places he saw men against men. But Eirikr did not stop running.

Gunnarr was pushed back by a beast, and fell to the ground, as Eirikr reached the place. The beast jumped on him, but Gunnarr managed to roll himself over, and made the beast growled in anger.

Eirikr took Gunnarr's sword which was on the ground. "Gunnarr, catch!" he said.

Gunnarr caught the sword and grinned.

They stood back to back.

The figures Eirikr saw were Isabel, Eolanda, and Alvar. Eirikr could see how fast and how strong Isabel moved. The blow from the beast which had thrown him to the ground and almost made him unconscious, looked like a touch of a child for Isabel. Every paws that touched her face, and left scratches on it, did not seem to bother her. And just like his wounds, her wounds very fast closed and healed.

Gunnarr's mother looked more like dancing than fighting. She almost did not touch the beasts or the men who attacked her, but the result was they moved back some few paces. And her movement was elegant, floating on the wind, like birds flocked their wings.

With Eirikr's help, Gunnarr seemed to be more confident. His movement was faster, and his aims were better. His sword slashed the beast, but did not give fatal wounds that could kill the beast. In turn, Eirikr and Gunnarr attacked their enemies. Eirikr felt stronger than before, but he had learnt. _Never ever feel that you are going to win, until your enemy lays on your feet, die. _He told himself.

"Good advice, Eirikr." he heard Gunnarr saying. "But can you tell me about it later? We are, after all, a little bit occupied for the moment!"

_Oh, can't you just shut up?!_

Gunnarr laughed.

"No!!" a loud shriek was heard. Eolanda screamed as Alvar received a blow from a beast. His body flew to the air, and landed on the ground with a loud noise. He did not move anymore.

"Father!!" Gunnarr ran to Alvar, to see if Alvar was still alive. "Father!!"

A beast jumped on Gunnarr, Eirikr wanted to throw his sword, but a man charged him. He could not do anything else but deflect his attack. He heard Gunnarr screaming, and the beast howling, made him move faster with his sword. He thrust his sword to the man, but them man moved faster than him. After for a while, the man even managed to take over his sword, and his sword was aimed to Eirikr's chest, when from behind, out of nowhere, Hamr thrust that man with a sword.

Eirikr picked his sword which was on the ground. "Thank you, Brother." he said, and looked at Hamr. He was surprised to see Hamr was completely naked. His chest was covered with blood, but he could see that he did not wear any cloth. Before he was able to ask, a beast charged Hamr. And in his very eyes, Hamr changed himself into an animal – a bear, a huge brown bear, almost as big as Eirikr and fought back.

A white hand was reached out to him. Isabel. Her eyes were wild, fangs were bared, and blood covered her mouth. She looked more like a she-wolf than a woman. "Don't you know that he is a shifter?"

Eirikr was back on his feet. "A shifter?"

"A man who can change his shape into an animal, any animal he wants."

Gunnarr was right. Gunnarr...Eirikr looked around, and saw Gunnarr standing beside his mother, with blood running from his arms. He looked pale. His mother was also pale. Alvar had fallen.

But they did not have time to mourn, since the waves of the attack came and came again. Eirikr wondered, how many wolves were there, and from where did all those men come from?

The moon was low on the west now. Morning would come soon. The battle did not run as fast as before. Some men had no longer power to swing their swords or throw their axes and spears. Some were laying, wounded, and many had died. The smoke, which had been thick and high, was getting thinner and thinner. The fire had no longer burned. Here and there, the clunk of metal or scream still could be heard. But the rest of the field was almost quiet.

Eirikr and Gunnarr were still fighting against a beast, meanwhile Isabel, Hamr and Eolanda fought each a beast. All men, who had helped the beast, were slain. Gunnarr was like a mad man, charging the beast. The blows and bitings that he received from the beast, he ignored. Eirkir could see that Gunnarr wanted to avenge his father's death. Anger made people careless.

When the beast was finally defeated, both Eirikr and Gunnarr stood shaken on their feet. Gunnarr was covered with blood all over his body, and Eirikr himself was not less. Isabel, Hamr and Eolanda were also able to defeat theirs.

"Soon the sun rises." said Isabel. "I can feel it in my blood. What a shame, for I have to go."

But as her sentence finished, a scream from the forest was heard. A scream of a woman.

Eirikr's heart was jolting. The cave. The defense of the cave was infiltrated. Aude! Without waiting any longer, he ran to the forest.

"Eirikr!"

*************


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty-four

"Aude!" Eirikr shouted her name as he saw some women running toward him. "Aude!!"

But she was nowhere to be found.

The forest was full of sound. Women and children were running and screaming mixed with growling and shouting from men.

"What had we done that Odin punishes us severely?" a women asked. "_Hel _sent us her brothers to punish us!"

"Where do we have to go? Our cave is not safe anymore."

Eirikr's heart was beating faster. The men who served the beast must have been broken down the traps, just like what they had done to the traps in front of the gates, and they or the beasts had entered the cave.

What a horror it must have been if the beasts were able to enter the stone rooms. Their claws and teeth buried in the flesh of innocent children and weak old men and women. By Odin, what a curse indeed if the beast had been able to devour them. No, let not that happen!

His sword moved twice faster than before. It must have been the blood that Eirikr received from Lord Godafrid, or it could also be his own anger and fear which drove him mad. Some men of the beasts chose to move away from him, when they saw how he slashed their brothers.

"Aude!!"

In the mist of smoke and panic, he saw two figures, slender and small, fighting against a man. One of the small figures used herself as a shield for the other. The blows that the man gave, mostly were received by her. He ran towards the figures, and he saw Aude and Griselda side by side fought the man.

"Give him to me!" he said, and he jumped between them.

"Eirikr!"

"Master!"

Eirikr raised his sword to deflect the attack. That man was big, and covered his body with a bear fur. He grinned wildly when he saw Eirikr. But his grin was gone, when he had to fight three of them. Soon, his ax was taken, and he ran away from the fight, but too late, Aude's dagger was thrown, and landed on his back. He fell to the ground, and never moved again.

Eirikr hugged Aude with his left arm, and opened the other arm for Griselda. For a moment Griselda was hesitating, but when she saw Aude nodded, she came to his arm.

"Stay with me, both of you." he said. "Stay with me."

He looked at them both. And for the first time in his life, he felt angst. Angst of losing them. Aude and Griselda. There was something that he could not explain, when he looked into Griselda's honey colour eyes. He felt some kind of calmness. May be, he loved her too, somehow. Different kind of love that he felt to Aude, but it was still love. For this woman gave herself to him so willingly, that she would do anything, just about anything, even given her life if he asked her, to prove herself worthy for him. If he could've, he would've returned that deed. But he knew, he could not. He could give her his body, yes, but not his mind. Griselda would accept it just the same, but he could not do that to her. The feelings she had for him were too good to be betrayed by temporary pleasure and half hearted intention.

And then he looked into Aude's deep green eyes. He knew, he was lost inside those eyes, as if he was sucked by a bottomless well. Strangely, he felt happy, and somehow, he wanted to stay that way.

He would never understand love.

At least not tonight.

For a moment he thought he could simply take these two women away from this cursed place to somewhere else, where they could live peacefully. Running through the meadow, playing hide and seek among the flowers. Griselda would sing and dance for him, meanwhile he laid in Aude's arms.

But his thoughts were crumbled when he heard noises, which came like flood. It seemed like the battle changed its place. It was no longer on the meadow, but moved to the forest.

Eirikr let them both go, and said, that they should stay closed to him. But his words were swallowed by the sound that came like wave. Every where were men or beast, fighting for their lives. Eirikr saw Lord Godafrid, Isabel, and Stanley among them. It was astonishing to see how they moved. So fast, their movements almost could not be caught by the eyes, and no weapons or beast, could touch them. Except when the men who served the beasts charged them with silver covered swords or spears, which they had taken from the Svear or the Göter. They could be wounded, just like the beast. Their flesh was vulnerable against silver.

And then, Eirikr heard Aude screaming. He fought his way through, slashing his sword to any body who was trying to stop him, running as fast as he could.

"Aude!"

The trees, the darkness before dawn, the smell of blood enraged him. He should have been there, closed to her. He should have not lost eye contact with her.

Her scream was getting louder. Eirikr moved faster. "Aude!" he stumbled upon a body. Without being able to control himself, he fell. The body was Griselda. She did not move. He touched her head, to find that she was still breathing. She was only unconscious.

In front of him, in very own eyes, he saw a beast walking towards Aude, who was on the ground unable to move.

Eirikr wanted to raise himself and charge the beast, when something very strong grabbed his feet, and swung him. "Aude!!" he shouted her name with all power he had, as if by doing so, he would be able to reach her. "Aude!!"

One more swing, and then he flew to the air, landed on a trunk of a tree, and fell to the ground, meanwhile the beast was getting closer to Aude. Eirikr tried to move, but he could not. He could not move. He felt like his body was broken. Soon, he would only be able watch the beast devouring her, without being able to do anything. Tears ran down on his face. Not because of the pain on his body, but the picture of the beast touched the precious skin of Aude was unbearable for him. "Aude..."

And when all hope he ever had was gone, he heard a very familiar voice, a voice that always brought laugh and smile on his face. Gunnarr, by himself, charged the beast. His skinny figure was blurred and moving erratically. With one blow, his body flew to the air, and landed somewhere. And then something happened. A miracle of some kind. The beast left Aude alone.

Eirikr felt relief, but then he realized, that the beast was walking toward Gunnarr, who was trying to get up on his feet. With one jump, and the beast was on his body. And then he heard a scream he would never forget. When the beast's teeth bored Gunnarr's body, Gunnarr let out a shriek. Gunnarr's voice was mixed with the beast's growl. It became a sound of torture. The torture of seeing the beast feeding on him, and the torture of feeling helpless. Laying there, and witnessing it.

"No!!!" Eirikr wailed. "Gunnarr!!"

The beast lifted his head, and let out a howl. Soon other beasts came approached him and start devouring Gunnarr.

Eirikr felt everything around him turning. He tried to reach Gunnar, he moved his hands, pushed his body forward, but nothing moved. His whole body was in pain, but nothing moved. "Gunnarr!!"

Suddenly the beasts stopped feeding on Gunnarr. Eirikr moved his head to the direction where the beasts looked. Hamr was standing there, with a spear on his hand. One of the beast was walking toward him, but before the beast reached him, Hamr changed himself into a falcon, and flew away. The spear fell to the ground. Without a sound, but for Eirikr it was like a tree just fell, and shook the ground. The falcon, whom he called Blå, was Hamr.

Anger took over him. Hamr, instead of avenging Gunnarr's death, chose to desert the battle. By Thor, if he ever survived this battle, he would chase after Hamr and made him paying his deed.

Darkness came over him. Eirikr could not see and hear anything anymore. The battle continued without him. Laying helplessly beside a tree. In his desperate time, he could only pray, that nothing happened to Aude. That the beast did not lay his filthy hands on her.

Then a cold hand touched him. "My child," he heard a voice.

"Let me drink your blood." Eirikr said. "And I will be yours."

Lord Godafrid laughed, soft. Then he gave Eirikr his wrist, which was already opened.

Eirikr sucked it, strongly.

"Godric," Eirikr heard Stanley's voice. "The sun will rise at any moment. We have to leave."

"Leave." Lord Godafrid said. "Take Isabel with you."

"She doesn't want to leave."

"You make her leave. Go."

After a while, Lord Godafrid lifted his wrist.

"There is a cave behind the waterfall." Eirikr said. "You can use it to hide yourself from the sun"

"Look at me," Lord Godafrid said.

Eirikr did what he said.

"You will forget that what I did to you, and you will forget that you have seen me today, until the day we see each other again, and I claim you. But you will not forget what you had just witnessed. Your anger, my child. I need your anger when you raise your sword under my banner, and walk beside me. Now, rest."

Then Lord Godafrid left.

Eirikr closed his eyes. He needed some rest. After for a while, he felt new energy flowing in his body. Slowly he moved his legs. Strange, all the pain he had felt was gone. And when he tried to pull his legs, it was easy.

The sky was brighter and brighter. The sun rose, and as if she wanted to mock the people of Torkelfors, she sent her bright yellow light. The sky was blue, with only a taint of white cloud on it.

The battle field was quiet. Only the rest of men, and beasts who survived, had surrendered. The beasts were no longer beasts, but men. Naked. Everywhere were bodies of men, women, and some children. The houses were burned down, trees were cut and some were tumbled down. The ground was wet. Not from water, but blood.

Among those rumbles and mist, Eirikr stood up. In panic, he searched for Aude. "Aude!" he ran to the place where he had seen a beast approaching her. And his heart sank, when he saw her laying on the ground. Her eyes were closed. He felt on his knees. "Aude..." he took her into his arms. "...Aude..."

"Yes, Eirikr..." a soft voice was heard,

He looked at her. Her face was paler than usual, but she smiled. Eirikr hugged her tight, laughing. "I thought I was losing you, my lover. I thought I was losing you."

And then, not far away from them, Eirikr heard a woman singing. Her voice was soft, but sad, so sad.

_As I saw you in the deem light of moonshine_

_I knew, you would be fine_

_grew strong and tender_

_as the colour of warm amber_

_but now you are leaving, _

_even the birds do not want to sing_

_My heart dies in the battle of Torkelfors_

_when you decided to bid your farewell_

_and I have to wait until time comes to claim_

_broken and dark in the place I dwell_

_unloved, alone, and to be forsaken_

Under the deem light of early morning sun, Eirikr saw Eolanda carrying the body of Gunnarr, or what left of it, walking away . He released Aude from his arms, and went to Eolanda. The woman he had seen so beautiful last night, was still beautiful, but in one night, she changed into somebody else, old and broken. The lines he had not seen last night, were there. The tears covered her face, and her lips trembled, as she sang and walked away, and disappeared among the trees. Vaguely, he heard her voice, soft and sad.

_My heart dies in the battle of Torkelfors..._

Eirikr took a deep breath, and looked down to the bodies of the beasts which were slain, by whom, he did not know. There were no beasts anymore, but men. With his feet, he turned them over. He would not let those filthy beasts touch his hands. He wanted to know who had killed Gunnarr, for he swore he would claim the blood of their people to pay back.

One of the beasts was Olaf son of Orvar.

**************


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter Twenty-Five

Carefully, Sookie put the blanket over Eric. She took off her tunic, and then laid down beside him. Softly she touched the blood tear on his face. It was dry already. She would wipe it off with soft cloth soaked in warm water, and a drop of lavender essence. Eric loved lavender essence so much, it may sooth him.

She did not know how long Eric had cried in her arms, but when he stopped, the tunic was sticky and cold from blood. Her and his hair were also sticky, and reddish. But Sookie did not care. She held him tight, so tight, that her body shook, when Eric's body was shaking.

"Ssst, it is okay, my dear." she whispered. "Everything is okay, now. I am here."

She wondered, how a man like him turned into a vampire whom she knew. Were all his smirks, cold gestures, and tricky behaviour only a mask? Or was The Eric Now, the one she held tight and dearly in her arms, was another Eric, the one he himself tried to forget, because of the pain of losing his best friend in such a horrible way? And because he knew, he would never see or touch the love of his life again, that he did not want to linger on his old self?

Ah, Eric. If only once in her moments with him, Sookie would and could understand him!

She could not. And she knew, she would not. She would always be surprised by the way he acted and made decisions. Whether his act or decisions were based on necessity or an effort to forget his memory, it would not matter. Eric would always be able to surprise her.

Therefore, she loved him.

"Your hair is bloody," Eric said. His voice is somber.

"I'll wash it tomorrow. I will wash yours too."

"It is morning already." Eric said.

"Then tonight."

Eric smiled.

Tears rolled down on Sookie's cheeks. Eric's face...he looked like an old man who was tired, very tired. The lines she never saw before were there. Thin smooth lines under his eyes, and on his forehead, made him look like a broken man. Was it because he did not eat or was it because it was morning already, and he needed his sleep?

"I always make my women cry." he said. "Mostly because of happiness, but sometimes because of sadness. But they always cried."

Sookie wanted to wipe off her tears, but Eric caught her hand, and kissed it. He moved closer to her. "Thank you." he said. "For listening, and being here."

Sookie put her arms around him. "I love being here."

And then they were silent.

Sookie did not hear anything else, except her heartbeat and the soft hums from the air conditioner.

This would be the first time, that they held each other closed, naked, and did not even start touching each other. It was like their togetherness, their closeness, feeling each other skins, feeling each other presence, was more than the act of sex itself. Eric was like a friend, whom Sookie could trust that he would not take advantage of her vulnerability, even now or better said – especially now, when she was completely naked and willing. And it seemed like, Eric felt the same way. He let her having him in her arms, as vulnerable as he could be, naked in the sense of physic, and mind, but yet safe. No single touch was given by either of them.

"Long time, after I was turned," suddenly Eric said. "Isabel talked about it. She swore, she would have safe Gunnarr, by turning him, or giving all the blood she had, if she had not been too late. The sun was rising, and she was too young at that time to be able to take the sunlight. But Godric said, Gunnarr's body was too broken. And if he was turned, he would die, anyway. Because in his blood, he carried the werewolf's blood already. The two blood can not be mixed."

"Who had killed the werewolves?"

"Eolanda. Godric was too weak, because I drank a lot of his blood, and the sunlight was reaching the forest. Godric got severely injured from the battle and the sunlight, that he must feed on three men to gain back his power on the next day. Eolanda was too deep in grief, Godric said. She did not give any mercy to those werewolves, even when they asked for forgiveness. They were changing to their human forms when Eolanda slain them, you know. So they could speak."

Sookie could understand what Eolanda had done. Probably she would have done the same thing, if her husband and her son were killed right in front of her eyes. "How was Isabel when you finally met her again?"

"She was different, much different. She was not this white marble skin woman that I had known, but simply a woman, even less stronger than I thought. She did not have any man for many years, until she fell in love again, with a human, who looked like Gunnarr. Not physically, but the way he talked." Eric smiled. "He could talk without end."

"And how long they were together?"

"Until he died. He was around 40 when he died. An old man, for that time."

"And had you remembered anything about Godric, after the battle? He glamoured you, didn't he?"

"Yes, he did. I did not remember anything about him, until I was turned by him."

"Did he ever come to your village, again?"

"No. Neither of us saw them after the battle."

"And what about the Göter? Did they stay in your village?"

"For some months, yes. And some of them married to our women. Fabian decided to stay and had family there. He wanted to stay close with Hjálmarr. They were really like twins at the end. Alas, Fabian and Hjálmarr were killed by Godric, when they accompanied me fighting against Harald the Fairhair. I took Göter side, when the great battle between the Svear and The Göter took place. Fabian's village was under attack, and we – men of Torkelfors, took the side of the Göter. But Godric told me, if he did not kill them, then the army of Harald the Fairhair would."

"What about Aude? Did she survive the war?"

"No. She had left me before the war, and took our last son with her."

"How many children did you have?"

"Six."

Six?! Wow, they had been really busy.

"Four sons, and two daughters. Gunnarr, Eileifr, Gustaf, and Ingimárr sons of Eirikr. Eolanda and Åsa daughters of Eirikr."

"And with Griselda?"

"I did not have any."

"They must have been beautiful."

"They were. Eileifr, Ingimárr and Åsa did not live long enough to join me or to make their own journeys. But Gunnarr, Gustaf and Eolanda did. After I was turned, they lived together with Arnvidr's cousin in other village. I watched them growing from a distant. Gunnarr had red hair, and green eyes, just like his mother. Gustaf had red hair and blue eyes. Only Eolanda had my hair, but her mother's eyes. They were beautiful, just like their mother." Eric's eyes were getting smaller. "I need some sleep now."

Sookie hugged him tight. "Yes, sleep, Eric. We talk again later."

Eric nodded his head.

Sookie tried to stay awake, watching him slowly but surely getting into his catatonic state. His face became frozen, and the hand was above her waist, was still, unmovable. She took a deep breath, and then closed her eyes.

The tiredness and the weary she had had took over her instantly. And without waiting for a longer time, she fell a sleep.

*******************

"What are you doing?"

Sookie was standing on a ladder, and putting down some books from the shelf when she heard Eric's voice.

Eric was standing at door which led to the bedroom. He looked fresh, with his dark gray suit, and bottle green shirt, which the two upper buttons were opened, showing his almost invisible dark chest hair, and the black leather necklace. From the pocket of his jacket, a small part of his red handkerchief was shown, not so much, just enough to show that he had a handkerchief in his pocket. He wore a normal black shoes, and not the pointed ones, the ones he normally wore with his leather jacket and jeans. He let his blond hair loose, spreading the nice smell of lavender and calendula. He looked more like a movie star or a rock star than a night club owner. And with a bit tan, he would definitely be mistaken as a rock star.

She whistled. _What the occasion, Babe? _Sookie wanted to ask, but it would sound vulgar. And if there was something that Eric did not like, then it would be vulgarity. "I am changing the content of the book cabinet." she said.

Eric smirked. "What do you want to do with all _those books?" _Eric gave _those books _a very cynical tune. _Those books _were all her romance books, and now they were in boxes.

Two days after Eric had told her about his life when he had been still human, Sookie decided to know him and his people a bit more. Therefore she had made some kind of researched about viking and everything about them, and decided to buy some books on the subject, to replace her "Julia and Dr. Samuel Patrick" series.

Actually, the decision came after Pam paid her a visit at Merlotte. A visit which always made Sam tensed, and the male visitors of the bar went wild. Pam was a pretty woman, with a lot of confident in her. She would be a number too big for many Merlotte's male visitors. But they tried to catch her attention, nevertheless. And she dressed up always up to date, but off beat. Like to day, she wore a red wood cutter blazer, black blouse, and deep blue wood cutter slack. She rolled her red hair, and gave some kind of golden hair stick as the final touch. But like always, she wore a bit too much make up. And what a beautiful black and red pumps!

"Is everything okay with him?" she asked.

Obviously, Pam knew about it. But then again, Pam had been with Eric for a century. There must have been a lot of things that Eric did that Pam knew about. Sookie nodded. "He will be."

"Where is he now?"

"Home."

"Good."

"Why?"

"Normally, he would go crazy during...you know." she rolled her eyes.

"Yeah." Sookie sighed.

"If you had not been there, I would have found him somewhere on the cemetery, crying over an unknown grave. I hate cemetery. It's wet and dirty, and all those worms, yuck! You know what he needed from time to time? To have somebody with whom he could talk about his home, and a good fuck."

A good fuck she could give him from time to time, or at least she hoped so. But talking about his home? She knew nothing about Sweden or Viking. And since she had no planning to visit Sweden any time soon, what she could do was read books about viking.

So today, she called Sam and told him that she took a day off ("Sookie, you can not do this to me!" Sam yelled at the telephone. "How can I find a replacement on short notice?!" "Sorry, Sam. But this is _really _important."), went to the bookshop in Shreveport, and bought herself some books.

"_Tacitus' Germania_?" Eric's voice sounded surprised. "You actually want to read this book?"

"Eh-ehm," Sookie said.

Eric looked at her, but did not say anything. He continued looking at some of the new books that she bought. "_Swedish: Learning by Doing_?" Now a wide grin was on his face. " _Swedish Heritage in American Society_?"

"What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing." he said. "What happened to Julia?"

"Julia decided to forget Dr. Samuel Patrick and moved on." Sookie said. _Hey, he knows about Julia. Does he secretly read my books? _But Sookie decided to ask about it some other time. "It's about the time to learn history."

Eric laughed. With one move, he flew to her, took her off from the ladder, and smoothly landed. Then he pressed her against the wall, and kissed her. Long, and passionate. Sookie felt her knees weak because of it. Then he let her go. A grin was still on his face when he walked to the door.

"Where are you going?" Sookie tried to catch her breath. _Damn, you can not leave me like this! Horny and alone!_

"Working." he said. "I don't want to leave Pam alone. It is not full moon anymore, but there are still many wackos out there. Poor Pam." He walked out through the door.

_Poor Pam? Poor Pam?! Oh, come on! You got to be kidding me!_

Then Sookie heard a laugh. "May be I will work half-night tonight! Who knows, you might get lucky! In the meantime, learn some Swedish!"

**********************


End file.
